2025 RCSI Alumni Magazine

A JOURNEY OF GROWTH AND DISCOVERY

13-15 August 2026

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Registration will open online in early 2026.

Celebrating the classes of 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 & 2021

WA JOURNEY OF GROWTH AND DISCOVERY

hen we meet with members of our alumni community, they often share their memories of studying in RCSI, recalling inspirational teachers, kind mentors and a plethora of new experiences both personal and professional. These conversations have influenced the theme of the 2025 RCSI Alumni Magazine: “A Journey of Growth and Discovery”, which prompted this year’s cover artist Patricia Cavalcante Marinho to draw inspiration from the spiral staircases that have become an architectural feature in both 26 York Street and the newly constructed building at 118 St Stephen’s Green. The spiral, which symbolises the cyclical nature of life, evolution and growth, is an apt motif for the contents of this year’s edition as we explore the personal journeys of some of our students and alumni as they continue to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and of the world.

University’s alumni both in Ireland as well as internationally over the last number of decades. In recent months, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain celebrated its 20th anniversary – a wonderful milestone and an opportunity to showcase the breadth and depth of support provided by the University’s alumni to current students in Paying it Forward (page 48).

As we go to print, the opening of the new building at 118 St Stephen’s Green is nigh and we are pleased to share details of Humanarium, RCSI’s new public engagement gallery. In Show and Tell, (page 10), we speak with Gallery Director Dr Alison Boyle about her vision and ambition for Humanarium, which will open in the foyer of 118 St Stephen’s Green in late 2025. The gallery will offer a diverse range of exhibitions, talks and workshops aimed at enhancing the public’s awareness of new health and wellbeing initiatives and demystify common health concerns.

Aíne Gibbons.

In Speaking Volumes (page 22), several alumni reflect on their involvement in RCSI’s Student Medical Journal (RCSIsmj). Retracing the steps of their journeys, our contributors provide perspective and share appreciation for the skills, confidence and friendships they developed through their involvement in RCSIsmj. Within the article we also hear from the current editorial team and their ambitions to grow the publication to include more students from RCSI Bahrain as well as the other undergraduate disciplines in RCSI.

Meanwhile, in Alive... and Well? (page 4), RCSI alumni provide their professional insights and expertise on the topic of positive ageing. Through a variety of contributions, this article emphasises the basic steps to ageing well and touches upon additional tools and developments such as DEXA scans, measuring gait speed and new drug treatments for dementia. The key message is to invest now to reap the rewards in later life.

Within this edition we also feature some incredible individuals from the 19th century to the present day, who have left a lasting impact on RCSI. In Blood Brothers (page 34) readers will enjoy learning of the links between Bram Stoker’s Dracula and RCSI, through Bram’s brother, surgeon William Thornley Stoker. Meanwhile, having recently retired from her role as Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at RCSI, we interview Professor Hannah McGee, whose dedication to education and research has contributed hugely to the positive experiences of our students and to the reputation of RCSI worldwide (A Life’s Work, page 18).

While preparing this edition of the magazine, we were struck by the parallels between individual growth and the ongoing evolution of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain as an institution of learning, research and innovation.

Graduates will be aware of the campus expansion undertaken by the

If the spiral represents the cycle of life, it is also known to symbolise reincarnation and we are pleased to bring further details of a ‘reincarnation’ of sorts, namely the return of undergraduate dental education to RCSI. In Licensed to Drill (page 44) we interview Head of School Professor Albert Leung about preparations for the first intake of students to the new Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme in September 2025, the ongoing construction of new Dental Education Centres in Sandyford and Connolly Hospital, as well as the pivotal role that the new School will play in addressing the shortage of community dentists in Ireland.

In this issue, we also take the opportunity to update you on research at RCSI (page 40). From treatments for cancer and spinal cord injury to preventing epilepsy after traumatic brain injury, RCSI is committed to making a difference through a range of innovative research projects.

We feel privileged to regularly meet and connect with alumni at home and abroad, through our Alumni eNews, at the Gathering, lunchtime talks and international alumni mixers as well as via our new RCSI Alumni Portal – www. rcsi.com/portal. We take great pleasure in listening to your stories and celebrating your achievements. We are also grateful to you for your philanthropic support and ongoing commitment to enriching the lives of our students by supporting scholarships and clinical electives as well as enhancing RCSI as an institution through our room and seat naming initiatives.

And so, we hope that this edition captures and celebrates a sense of infinite potential, motivating you to stay connected with RCSI and to engage with us as you continue your own journey of growth and discovery.

AÍNE GIBBONS DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS

IN THIS ISSUE

RCSI Medical University of Bahrain’s Alumni Ambassador Programme

Awards, Alumni Gathering and occasions at RCSI

RCSI ALUMNI MAGAZINE is published annually by RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. Issues are available online at rcsi.ie/alumni. Your comments, ideas, updates and letters are welcome.

Contact Ailbhe Mac Eoin, Lead Editor, at RCSI, 123 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2; telephone: +353 (0) 1 402 2235; email: ailbhemaceoin@rcsi.com. RCSI ALUMNI MAGAZINE IS DISTRIBUTED annually to alumni on our database. To ensure you receive a copy, please PROVIDE YOUR CURRENT CONTACT DETAILS at rcsi.com/portal. RCSI ALUMNI MAGAZINE is produced by Gloss Publications Ltd, The Courtyard, 40 Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin. Copyright Gloss Publications. RCSI Editorial Board: Aíne Gibbons, Jane Butler, Paula Curtin, Ailbhe Mac Eoin and Caoimhe Ní Néill.

RCSI was founded by Royal Charter in 1784 as the national training and professional body for surgery. In 1978, RCSI became a recognised College of the National University of Ireland and in 2010, RCSI was granted by the State, the power to award its own degrees. In 2019, RCSI was granted University status and became RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

34 BLOOD BROTHERS 37 CAUGHT ON CAMPUS

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Alive... and Well?

While getting old is a privilege, it is something most do not look forward to. e possibility of physical frailty and loss of independence can instil a sense of fear. However, there are conscious choices we can make that could help us age well

The good news is that ageing well is something we can all work towards throughout our lives, making conscious choices that will bene t our older selves. Staying active and maintaining a healthy weight are two of the most obvious, as is the e ective management of conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Engaging with screening and vaccination programmes is prudent, and addressing issues with hearing and sight as they arise rather than ignoring them is important not just in terms of the physical issues but as they impact upon cognition and brain health.

Surgeries for knee and hip replacement should not be feared but embraced as opportunities to improve quality of life. ere has been a signi cant recent breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and while these drugs are not yet available in Ireland, experts expect them to become increasingly important in the future.

One of the most interesting things to emerge from recent research across a number of elds is how vital social connection is to ageing well. Exercising with other people is more bene cial than doing it on your own, and practising mindfulness techniques while you exercise enhances the value of the workout. Studies show that simple social activities such as walking with a friend or joining a book club pay dividends in terms of positive ageing and cultivating a growth mindset. We spoke to RCSI alumni and faculty who are experts in the eld of ageing and asked them for their tips on ageing well.

ART BY PATRICIA

CAVALCANTE MARINHO

DR JÜRGEN BLUDAU, MEDICINE, CLASS OF 1987

Former Chief Clinical Director of Geriatric Services, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital | Current Chief of Geriatrics, SLK Clinic, Heilbronn, Germany | Author, Ageing But Never Old (2010), published in Germany as Getting Old is Fun (2022).

e title of my book is deliberately provocative because when you do it [ageing] correctly, it’s true, but you do need to work at it.

In your 60s, you need to take preventative action. at means regular skin, ear and eye checks, colonoscopies, cardiac evaluations, and taking vaccinations against u, COVID-19, pneumococcal disease and shingles so that you stay as healthy as possible. Women need to keep on top of gynaecological health and have regular mammograms. e urologist is a man’s best friend.

You also need to be as active as possible, so rather than sitting around eating crisps and drinking beer it’s important to continue to play sport, go to the gym and keep your weight under control by taking regular walks and watching what you are eating. Weight is important for cardio and joint health. If you take these measures, you’ll be as healthy as you can be for the next 20 years, but if you mess up at 60 the next 20 will not be fun. at is, if you get 20 more years.

In your 80s, mobility is key to quality of life. If you are not mobile, your life can become very narrow. If you use a walker or a cane that’s ok. It’s important to control diabetes and hypertension, and to have a good podiatrist to deal with ingrown toenails and the like.

Staying socially connected and mentally active is vital. Doing the crossword and other puzzles such as Sudoku is ne, but being part of a book club where you get to meet other people and listen to their opinions is better for improving cognition. Being alone increases the risk of dementia, so you must make an e ort to do things in a group and be as social as possible, even if it’s just going for a walk with a neighbour.

DR PÁDRAIC DUNNE, RCSI SENIOR LECTURER

Immunologist (research scientist), psychotherapist, and boardcertified lifestyle medicine professional | Senior Lecturer, RCSI Centre for Positive Health Sciences (CPHS) | Principal Investigator of the Digital Health Research Group within the Centre. While our lifespan in Ireland has increased dramatically in recent times, with a life expectancy of 83 years, our health span is not much greater than it was in the 1960s (65 years). For many of us, our health deteriorates in our 50s and 60s because of mostly lifestylerelated non-communicable diseases including heart and lung disease, certain cancers, diabetes, serious mental health disorders and obesity. However, it does not have to be this way.

RCSI’s Centre for Positive Health Sciences promotes evidence-based practices that combine lifestyle medicine, positive psychology and health psychology. This approach begins with enhanced selfawareness and an orientation toward positive health (heliotropism), regardless of

"You must make an effort to do things in a group and be as social as possible, even if it’s just going for a walk with a neighbour."

Dr Jürgen Bludau.

"If you can run in a forest, you will breathe in these natural chemicals, which in-turn activate our bodies’ natural killer T cells, agents within our immune system that destroy cancerous cells."

the ageing process or diagnosis with a chronic disease. Having a growth mindset toward living a healthier life can help. It’s hard to make change but if we adopt a exible and self-compassionate growth mindset, we are more likely to make small changes for better, sustained health. We also know from the longest study conducted (Harvard Study of Adult Development – 1938 to the present day) that the two practices most associated with healthy ageing are meaning in life and positive social relationships.

Positive health approaches add to the recommended guidelines on healthy living such as getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week. When you run or walk on a gym treadmill, you will meet your recommended weekly requirements. However, positive health recommends that you integrate a multitude of practices that simultaneously foster better physical, mental and social health. For instance, the previous example can be modi ed to include

Dr Pádraic Dunne.

cultivating gratitude for being alive as you run, as well as being fully present in the moment. Trees generate phytoncides that protect them from harmful fungi. If you can run in a forest, you will breathe in these natural chemicals, which in turn activate our bodies’ natural killer T cells, agents within our immune system that destroy cancerous cells. We know that exercising in a social context – a good example is the Park Run phenomenon – can also boost health outcomes.

In short, doing our best to make small changes to our lifestyle, accompanied by a healthy dose of self-compassion, can go a long way to slowing the ageing of our immune system. e result can be a longer health span.

DEIRDRE LANG, GSM, CLASS OF 2017

FFNMRCSI, MSc Leadership, BSc Nursing, PGDip in Gerontology (Nursing) | Director of Nursing Lead for Older Persons’ Services, National Clinical Programme for Older People, Office of the Nursing and Midwifery Services Director, HSE.

My role as Nurse Lead is to lead on the nursing contribution to the care of the older person across the spectrum of healthcare. e National Frailty Education Programme is one of the programmes of work I have led on in this role. is is an inter-professional integrated approach to learning, providing healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to have to care for the older person living with frailty. It is regarded as a key enabler to integrated care, advancing coordinated working and collaboration, and adopting an age-attuned approach to better meet the needs of older people.

We are in the process of adapting the Programme to empower the public with information that will support them to age well, and help them understand that the more they invest in their health now, the greater their chances will be of ageing well. e Programme will promote the concept that we should consider investment in our health as investing in our future older selves. It’s akin to investing in your pension; the more you put in now, the more you bene t at retirement.

"The more you put in now, the more you benefit at retirement."

e adaptation of the Programme also aims to inform those who are caring for their relatives who are living with frailty. It will equip them to recognise how di erent aspects of frailty present, and what can be done to reduce it, where appropriate, in order to best support their relatives. It will help the public understand that sitting and social isolation are detrimental to the ageing process and, like smoking, are modi able risks that can be addressed. Our motto for our future older selves should be: “Get up. Get dressed. Get moving.”

MR NIALL HOGAN, MEDICINE, CLASS OF 1995

MB, BCh, MSc, FRCSI (TR and Orth) | Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. Ensuring good joint health as you age starts when you are young. It’s important for young people to get into and enjoy sport and exercise, whether as an individual or as part of a team. We need to make sure young girls don’t drop out of sport.

In your 20s and 30s, it’s important to stay healthy by going to the gym and eating well. The Mediterranean diet has been shown to be the best, but everything should be in moderation – especially alcohol. It’s too easy to put on a few extra kilogrammes, so it’s important to keep weight under control.

Muscle mass is one of the key elements to how we age, so we need to ensure we are eating a balanced diet and moving our body to the best of our ability. For some people, that is walking, cycling or going to the gym. For others, it is sitting to stand, or chairbased activities. It di ers for everyone depending on your current level of ability. Whatever it is, it should ensure you are maintaining or building on what you could do yesterday so that you are retaining muscle mass and reducing muscle loss.

Later, continuing to exercise is key. Whether that’s walking, gym, golf or tennis it doesn’t matter, you need to keep going as long as you can, into your 70s and 80s if possible.

"Patients should not fear the prospect of joint replacement."

It’s important to listen to your body. If you have a painful joint, modify your activity accordingly. If you’re a runner, think about taking up cycling or swimming instead and transition to non-impact sports. If you’re a hillwalker, you may nd it easier to walk on the at.

Educate yourself in relation to joint problems and seek advice initially from a physiotherapist and then an orthopaedic surgeon. It may be a good idea to take a painkiller or anti-in ammatory on the day you are playing golf, for example. e next step is to get cortisone and/or hyaluronate injections. Eventually, through no fault of your own, a painful joint may

Deirdre Lang.

Mr Niall Hogan.

need replacement. Joint replacements are very successful and can be lifechanging, though nothing is 100% guaranteed. We say that we have a 95% success rate with hips and 90% with knees.

Patients should not fear the prospect of joint replacement. Surgical techniques and technology are improving all the time. Robotic surgery for knee replacement is more accurate and precise and I believe my patients have better outcomes with robotic rather than non-robotic surgery. In relation to hips, robotic surgery is not yet common in Ireland, however post-operative rehab is now much shorter than it used to be, and patients mobilise sooner.

In the older population, particularly post-menopausal women, it’s important to have a DEXA scan and be aware of bone density and osteoporosis in terms of fracture risk and to take calcium, vitamin D and other medications to reduce the risk. Fractures can be very debilitating and lead to loss of movement and function, while a broken hip o en leads to loss of independence.

GILLIAN HARTE, PHYSIOTHERAPY, CLASS OF 2009

BSc Physiotherapy, MSc Advanced Professional Practice in Neurological Rehabilitation | Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist in Stroke, Tallaght University Hospital.

I currently work in the stroke service in Tallaght University Hospital, where I was involved in establishing an interdisciplinary service for people with stroke, with the goal of reducing the risk of readmissions and functional decline. I have also established a physiotherapy-led spasticity management clinic as part of this service.

From the physiotherapy perspective, the best way to reduce the risk of stroke is aerobic exercise, either 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. It’s important to get the heart rate up, so you are breathing more heavily. Cycling, walking and swimming are all good. Exercise in groups ticks all the boxes for social connectedness.

Post stroke, patients are o en afraid of becoming breathless, but the risk of breathlessness is outweighed by the risk of not exercising. ose who have had a stroke and take up exercise can reduce the risk of recurrence by 20%, and those who abide by the whole package of measures we advise – exercise, dietary, smoking cessation and medication – reduce their risk by up to 80%.

you will lose some muscle, so you want to have enough muscle banked so your ability to move about and perform day to day tasks won’t be a ected. We lose muscle from our 30s onwards so this is very important for everyone, but even more important for those who have had a stroke.

"Exercise in groups ticks all the boxes for social connectedness."

One key development is in the area of research into gait speed as a predictor of mortality, more so than age or gender; it’s now seen as the sixth vital sign. If we measure gait speed regularly, we can investigate what is going on to cause any drop. Gait speed can predict who is likely to survive cardiac surgery, is the strongest predictor of falls, can distinguish between who is frail and who is not, and predict who is most likely to be in a nursing home within two years. Typically, we don’t use gait speed to its potential because it is hard to measure but there is a new Irish subscription-based GaitKeeper app, which I’ve been involved in developing and it is an exciting tool for assessing, managing and triaging, as it brings the Gait Lab into any setting, enabling us to track wellness and determine when to intervene. For instance, if a patient is discharged from the stroke service and reassessed a year later, and their gait speed has dropped, we can investigate why. It’s a wellness thermometer.

DR SINÉAD CRONIN, MEDICINE, CLASS OF 2011

MB, BCh, BAO, LRCP & SI, MICGP, DOWH, PgDip in Clinical Education | GP Partner/Owner, Drumcondra Medical.

Ageing is a privilege, but it’s tricky. My husband and I run a large, busy GP surgery in Drumcondra, Dublin and we see this every day. e average life expectancy in Ireland is now north of 82 years old and our population is ageing, with 18% of our population aged 65 and over. We have more and more people living longer with signi cant levels of multimorbidity and polypharmacy.

Engaging with primary care is important as we age. GPs are well placed to manage patients with multiple chronic conditions. e Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Programme being run in primary care across Ireland is a fantastic way to do this. CDM aims to provide comprehensive, communitybased care to patients with several speci c chronic diseases: Type 2 diabetes, COPD, asthma, A Fib, previous stroke/TIA, angina and CCF. It involves an annual or biannual doctor and nurse review with medication review, patient education and management planning as well as a strong emphasis on prevention.

e impairments caused by stroke may make it di cult to be active, and this can cause further weakness and problems with moving around, creating a vicious circle. Strengthening exercises and resistance training are like paying into a muscle pension, you need to have muscle banked in case you are sick and can’t be as active as usual for a week or two. By being less active

By providing proactive management, the Programme

Gillian Harte.

Dr Sinéad Cronin.

"Keeping your brain active is vital too."

aims to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and emergency department attendances. By managing conditions early in the community setting, patients are less likely to experience serious exacerbations or complications that require hospital admission.

We all know about the importance of keeping physically t as we age, but keeping your brain active is vital too. I tell patients that doing their morning Sudoku or crossword is as important as taking their aspirin or statin!

Combating isolation by encouraging social connection is important too. As medics, we must help our patients carve out these supports – be they with family or community groups. Feeling socially connected has a positive e ect on our mental health.

Taking a practical approach to ageing, we encourage patients to attend their tertiary care appointments with someone, so that someone else can absorb all of the information, ask questions and take notes, especially if the patient is nervous. We also encourage patients to speak with their families about their wishes in relation to decisions about medical treatments and an enduring power of attorney. It’s so important that their values and wishes are respected.

Finally – if people are concerned about something, they should make an appointment to see their GP. We know general practice is under pressure in Ireland and across the world, but it’s important that patients know that we are available and ready to listen, and that they are never wasting our time.

DR ANDREW EUSTACE, MEDICINE, CLASS OF 1993

MB, MRCPI, MRCPsych | Consultant Psychiatrist, Consultant in Psychiatry of Old Age, Highfield Healthcare.

e research into dementia prevention appears to show that changes in the brain start to occur in our 40s, when we begin to lose cells in the brain and increased in ammation damages the connections between cells in the hippocampus. e 2024 update of the Lancet Commission on Dementia shows that the implementation of lifestyle changes such as reducing weight, cutting down on alcohol, ceasing smoking, exercising, remaining socially connected, treating conditions such as blood pressure and diabetes, and correcting difficulties with eyesight and hearing can help prevent dementia.

Dr Andrew Eustace.

in the US but have not yet been approved by the EMA. ere is wariness about them because of potential side e ects including brain bleeds, thus requiring monitoring and scanning, which we are not set up to deliver at scale in Ireland, and the nancial cost is high. However, they mark the rst positive message in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in some time and o er potential hope of other novel agents being developed.

DR FANTA O’BRIEN, MEDICINE, CLASS OF 2004

"The implementation of lifestyle changes can help prevent dementia."

ere are exciting new drug treatments for dementia which appear to modify the course of Alzheimer’s disease by breaking down amyloid deposits in the brain and slowing down the progression of the disease. ese have been approved by the FDA

MICGP, MB, BCh, BAO, LRCP & SI, MSc LHPE, MSc in Global Health | Assistant Scheme Director in the North East Training Scheme | Director, Santé des Femmes Complex Menopause Clinic. Menopause is a signi cant transition in a woman’s life, marked by the cessation of menstrual periods due to a decrease in reproductive hormone levels. Perimenopause is the stage when a woman begins to experience menopausal symptoms, even though her periods have not yet stopped. Menopause is o cially reached a er a woman has gone 12 consecutive months without a period. Typically, menopause occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55. As life expectancy continues to rise globally, women may spend one-third of their lives in menopause. is transition can signi cantly impact physical health and overall wellbeing, highlighting the necessity for e ective management to enhance quality of life and promote positive ageing. If menopausal symptoms are not addressed properly, they can accelerate biological ageing. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is commonly used to alleviate symptoms and may involve the use of estrogen, progestin, or a combination of both. HRT is a key option for many women, but it is crucial to tailor this treatment to individual health needs, as each woman’s situation is unique. For those who may not be suitable candidates for HRT, there are alternative treatments such as non-hormonal medications and psychological therapies.

"If menopausal symptoms are not addressed properly, they can accelerate biological ageing."

Recent research indicates that women using HRT o en enjoy better health outcomes than those who do not. is may contribute to longer and healthier lives. While some studies suggest a possible link between HRT and an increased risk of dementia, the evidence remains inconclusive. However, many ndings indicate that starting HRT before age 60 or within ten years of menopause onset can reduce the risks of mortality from various causes, including heart disease. Additionally, early use of HRT may help prevent type 2 diabetes and bone fractures in women under 60. Timing is essential for the e ectiveness of HRT. ■

Dr Fanta O’Brien.

Robert Goodwin looks back fondly on his time at RCSI as a graduate of the Class of 1971.

Everything

Alumnus Dr Robert Goodwin is making a legacy gift to RCSI

For Dr Robert Goodwin (Class of 1971), his journey to RCSI of luck, a little embellishment, and the goodwill of a stranger that brought him to Dublin. In the 1960s, with limited medical school options in the United States, Dr Goodwin was encouraged through a family friend to consider RCSI. A connection was made with a student, Jack Kearney, who, despite never having met Rob, vouched for him to RCSI’s Registrar, Dr Harry Flanagan. Dr Flanagan, eager to build the College basketball team, asked if Goodwin was a skilled player. Kearney assured him he was – an outright fabrication, as Dr Goodwin admits with a laugh. Nevertheless, he was accepted, setting him on a life-changing path.

RCSI offered more than just a medical education – it exposed Dr Goodwin to a world of perspectives and experiences that shaped his understanding of people and human behaviour.

“I was part of a true mosaic – students from the Cayman Islands, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, all with different backgrounds and beliefs,” he recalls. “I was exposed to people, cultures, and ways of thinking I had never encountered before,” he says. “It shaped how I saw the world, how I understood people, and ultimately, how I approached medicine.”

Dr Goodwin’s fascination with human behaviour eventually led him to a career in psychiatry, where he spent decades treating both high-ranking professionals and inmates on death row. “The differences between the best of us and the worst of us are much smaller than people imagine,” he reflects. His time at RCSI, surrounded by such a diverse mix of classmates and experiences, prepared him

for a career built on empathy, understanding, and seeing beyond the surface N

that its impact on his life extended far beyond a medical degree. To honour that connection, he has chosen to support RCSI through a legacy gift, to ensure that students from all backgrounds have access to the same transformative education he did.

role the College played in shaping his life and career is important gave me everything difference in the world,” he says.

He has been particularly inspired by how much RCSI has evolved. “ This is a university that is focused on the future of healthcare and I want to be part of that long after I’m gone.”

For Dr Goodwin, giving back isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about gratitude, paying it forward, and making sure the next generation of students has the same opportunities he was given – even if, like him, they arrive at RCSI by chance, with a little luck.

Through his gift, Dr Goodwin is celebrating the great memories of his time at RCSI – and helping to shape the future of healthcare, one student at a time.

If you would like further information on legacy giving please call Aíne Gibbons, Director of Development on +353 (1) 402 5189, or email ainegibbons@rcsi.ie

Dr

SHOW AND TELL

Humanarium, RCSI’s new public gallery at 118 St Stephen’s Green, will showcase RCSI’s work in healthcare, science and medicine through a series of interactive exhibitions and events to entertain and inform. We meet with the inaugural Director, Dr Alison Boyle

Dr Alison Boyle.

Dr Alison Boyle, Director of Humanarium, RCSI’s new public gallery, is originally from Galway, but spent most of her career in the UK, where she was a curator at the Science Museum in London with the “very Victorian” title of Keeper of Science Collections. It was here, she explains, she learned the art of making science exhibitions.

Curatorial adventures included recreating CERN’s Large Hadron Collider in the Museum’s basement and acquiring the entire contents of Stephen Hawking’s office (including the kitchen sink).

Dr Boyle returned to Ireland in 2022 to work at Research Ireland overseeing public engagement programmes including National Science Week and took up the role of Humanarium’s inaugural Director at the start of the year.

“It’s such a fantastic project,” she says, as she prepares for the opening of the gallery this autumn. “It’s not every day you get to create a new public space in the centre of Dublin, and it’s an exciting time to be doing this, given the importance of having informed and comfortable conversations around healthcare, medicine, and science. I see it as a chance to create a new kind of space that’s doing something different.”

Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor of RCSI says: “As a graduate, I have always found the front door of RCSI to hold symbolic significance. With Humanarium, we had the chance to re-imagine our front door for the 21st century, transforming it to become the new welcoming face of the University. 118 St Stephen’s Green presented us with a new opportunity to open up a space to the people of Dublin and focus on public engagement, which was constrained in previous facilities. The opening of Humanarium marks a significant milestone in RCSI’s commitment to advancing the health and wellbeing of our communities.”

“Humanarium provides a unique opportunity for the public to learn more about scientific discoveries, health and wellbeing, informed by the tremendous work that takes place at RCSI,” explains Professor Fergal O’Brien, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at RCSI, who has chaired the steering committee for the project since inception. “ The space will provide a new arena to showcase the outputs of our research to maximise its reach and impact. It will also serve as a hub of innovation in healthcare, bringing together clinicians, scientists, patients and other stakeholders to collaborate, share insights and expertise. We are delighted to welcome three founding partners who have supported our ambition for Humanarium: Blackrock Health, AIB and Healthy Ireland.”

Humanarium is an invented word, which Dr Boyle and her colleagues hope the public will respond to with curiosity. “It’s human, it’s about you,” she says. “This

is the science of you. And then ‘arium’ is the idea of a space, which people might already be familiar with from popular science destinations such as ‘planetarium’ or ‘aquarium’. So, it’s a humanarium, very deliberately a new word. We think that’s quite intriguing and we’re hoping that people will go, ‘Ooh, what’s up? I’ll go and have a look’.”

Although RCSI has always welcomed different groups to events on campus, this is the first time the University has had a dedicated public space into which anyone can drop in without the need to book or buy a ticket, whether to view an exhibition or simply to have a cup of coffee in the café

“Humanarium provides a unique opportunity for the public to learn more about scientific discoveries, health and wellbeing, informed by the tremendous work that takes place at RCSI.”

Professor Fergal O’Brien

“I can’t wait until the hoardings come down and we can see the light coming through those windows at the front,” says Dr Boyle. “There’s a void to the basement teaching area and another big void above through which you get some views up through the building. These design elements dictate how the space will function, as all the things you would associate with a typical gallery just don’t exist. There is, for instance, very little wall space to hang stuff.”

“Recent RCSI building developments have focused predominantly on enhancing the student experience,” says Professor Kelly. “With 118, however, we set an ambitious brief for the architects and designers: to create a space that brings together the entire University community – students, staff, and researchers – while

118 St Stephen’s Green.

also establishing a meaningful public interface. From this vision, the concept of the Humanarium emerged.”

Humanarium is a multifunctional space where Dr Boyle plans to share stories about the latest research RCSI’s people are involved in and which can also be used for informal events.

“Because it’s the front foyer of the building there will be staff and students coming and going to the teaching spaces above and below and the research spaces upstairs,” explains Dr Boyle. “It gives the public a glimpse into a world they probably haven’t seen before. Until now, RCSI has been one of those places many people think they are not allowed into, perhaps seen as somewhere only the elite go. Clinical and health spaces can often feel intimidating for people as well, so this is about creating a space that is welcoming and informal, the kind of place you might want to pop into casually. The public can come in and we think it will show them the human face of RCSI and help to demystify medicine and healthcare.”

Dr Boyle is planning a soft launch of Humanarium once the staff and students are settled in the new building at the start of the academic year.

“When you open any new public space, you need to learn how people use it, so we will start with some light touch programming giving a sense of, ‘Hello, we’re here, welcome in!’ and do testing with audiences as to what’s working for them.”

Dr Boyle plans to use the soft launch to give a sense of how patients and the public are shaping RCSI’s research, teaching and future of medicine. “There are so many important interactions across RCSI’s work,” she says, giving examples of the relationships between the Departments of Medicine and Paediatrics with the cystic fibrosis community, and the collaboration between the Tissue Engineering Research Group and rugby players, in relation to spinal cord injuries.

“We understand that addressing public health challenges requires more than clinical and research excellence, it also needs engagement and greater health literacy,” says Professor Kelly. “As a health sciences university, we have a particular responsibility to encourage this kind of dialogue to try to counter some of the incredibly dangerous health misinformation and disinformation that proliferates online.”

In spring 2026, Dr Boyle is planning a larger thematic exhibition, and she is looking ahead to having family-friendly programming in the summer months.

“A blank canvas is obviously both an opportunity and a challenge,” says Dr Boyle. “The fact that Humanarium is in a working research and teaching building is unusual, but means we already have fantastically rich content and stories here. Our established connections with local community groups and patient groups mean we can build on what RCSI already does and embed public engagement into the heart of research and teaching activities.”

Humanarium is a very different prospect to dedicated museum and gallery buildings built specifically to house exhibitions. “Our major challenge is also that it’s part of a research and teaching building, which must do a lot of different jobs, with an entrance hall that must perform many functions. Because of this, it can’t be a white-walled art gallery where you look at works hanging on walls, nor can it be a completely interactive children’s science centre.

“So, by using modular and flexible exhibition structures, we hope to create a nice space to hang out in that happens to have intriguing exhibits, whether those are artefacts showing some of the latest technologies, or our eight-metre screen. We know from workshops and focus groups with potential audiences that interactivity is important, so the screen will allow us to facilitate that and update programming regularly. We hope that by creating a space people are comfortable in, we will spark conversations.”

“We have a particular responsibility to counter some of the incredibly dangerous health misinformation and disinformation that proliferates online.”

Professor Cathal Kelly

Professor O’Brien notes that RCSI is unique in Ireland in having a sole focus on healthcare. “However,” he says, “this brings challenges in that there are a multitude of potential areas worthy of being showcased in the gallery. We have made a considered decision to focus on our research clusters, that is, our areas of maximum strength and quality as highlighted in the RCSI Strategy 2023-2027 ‘Innovating for a Healthier Future’”.

The Director is meeting with people working in these clusters to understand more about the research being carried out, as well as other stakeholders such as charities and external agencies, and is crafting a

Early indicative concept drawings of the interior and exterior of Humanarium, by architects Henry J Lyons.

shortlist of areas that may become the focus of the first series of exhibitions. “As with our existing public engagement initiatives such as the MyHealth talks and podcasts, it’s important to choose themes of broad interest and appeal to a general audience (many of whom won’t have detailed prior knowledge of certain topics), and within these features the unique insights from RCSI’s research and people that make us such an important and trusted voice.”

Dr Boyle says there’s an element of “learning as we go” and that Humanarium needs to be agile in terms of seeing what it is that its visitors are looking for and responding to their demands.

The café will be run by RCSI’s estates and facilities team, with a distinct offering, look and feel to those in its other campuses.

“We’re conscious of needing to attract an audience from outside,” says Dr Boyle. “I never thought I’d be having conversations about procuring coffee, but I know it’s important. There was an infamous 1980s advertising campaign for the Victoria and Albert Museum in London describing it as ‘an ace caff with quite a nice museum attached’ which ruffled lots of feathers. But it’s true that lots of people come into gallery spaces to have a coffee and then while they’re there they spot something interesting, so we must be aware of that. With public engagement you don’t just want to reach the people who are curious and would come anyway; it’s about attracting some of the people who come in for some other reason and then decide to return.”

Initially, Humanarium will be open during daytime hours from Monday to Friday, with consideration being given to evening and weekend hours too, in the hope of attracting young adult and family audiences. RCSI students will always be welcome too.

“Students are at the heart of everything we do and they are also a crucial audience for the space.”

Dr Alison Boyle

“Our students are at the heart of everything we do,” says Dr Boyle, “and they are also a crucial audience for the space. If an exhibition is on a topic that isn’t their core research area, staff and students are as much members of the public as anyone else, albeit very well-informed, and creative exhibits always provide new experiences no matter how much you know. Hopefully we will create opportunities for the students to be involved in the planning and the programming of what goes on in the space.”

As outlined by Professor O’Brien, programming will focus on RCSI’s areas of strength, with reasons why it might make sense to focus on a subject in a particular year, if there is an important anniversary or specific international focus, or if there is a topic on which RCSI wants to generate conversation.

As well as stories of research there will be the personal stories of individual researchers and clinicians, as audience research data shows that people want inspirational stories about other people. As with any exhibition, there will be layered levels of accessibility.

“Most exhibition text is written for a reading age of 12,” says Dr Boyle. “That is good practice in science communication. I know that sounds low, but when you’re in an exhibition, it’s quite a distracting environment. You’ve got lots of things going on around you. Where’s the toilet? Where’s the café? Because you are glancing at stuff, rather than sitting in a controlled way, your attention is scattered. So, this will be where I break my colleagues’ hearts by saying, ‘I’m

now going to summarise all of your research in 40 words!’. But there’s a real art to doing it. It’s like a newspaper article. There’s a headline and then we dig down and layer the detail in the text or on a touch screen or exhibit label. And then we focus on the message we want people to take home. Can they take steps to improve their own health and wellbeing, and what might those be? We can also direct them to other resources RCSI might have.”

The University is confident the public impact of Humanarium will strengthen its grant applications and provide an additional space for people running research projects to offer Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) activities; it will be built into the business of the University.

Dr Boyle is currently working to develop Humanarium’s social media strategy. “So much of what people do is consumed online now and they make the decision whether to visit an exhibition based on social media, so we will use bite-sized snippets we can share on channels including Instagram and TikTok to attract people in. We’re very aware that you need to go where your audience is.”

According to Professor Kelly, “Humanarium reflects the core mission of RCSI to educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health. I am proud of the vision and dedication that is bringing this project to life, and I look forward to seeing the role it plays in empowering people across Ireland and beyond to engage more actively in shaping a healthier future.”

Professor O’Brien sees the gallery somewhat as the physical manifestation of RCSI’s award-winning MyHealth lecture series, which will be used as a mechanism to launch and encourage attendance at exhibitions.

“It will provide access to accurate health information to empower people with the tools to maintain their health and wellbeing while demystifying common health concerns by drawing expertise and insight from our team of researchers and international health experts. By visiting the gallery as well as attending the lectures, it will ensure a long-lasting impact for members of the public.” ■

Honouring Firsts

In the summer of 2017, visual artist Vera Klute RHA was commissioned by RCSI to paint portraits of Professor Ethna Gaffney (1920 – 2011), the first female Professor of Basic Sciences in the Department of Chemistry and Physics, and Professor Ellen Moorhouse (1928 – 2004), the first female Professor of Clinical Sciences in the Department of Clinical Microbiology. The portraits were unveiled in the Board Room at RCSI in November 2017. Antonia Hart reports

Vera Klute, Portrait of Professor Ethna Gaffney RCSI, 2017, oil on canvas, part of the RCSI Art Collection.

Vera Klute, Portrait of Professor Ellen Moorhouse RCSI, 2017, oil on canvas, part of the RCSI Art Collection.

The RCSI Art Collection never stops evolving and growing with the inclusion of newly commissioned work, including painting, sculpture, glass, and installations. There are recurring commissions like the RCSI Art Award and the President’s Portrait, but the Art Committee also commissions one-off pieces, often commemorative or celebratory. These artworks enrich the environment of learning, and students’ awareness of the enduring relationship between science and art. Sometimes students are even involved in commissions. Spanish artist Vanessa Donoso Lopez’s 2017 installation included 448 bullae, little clay vessels, in a walled structure, made by that year’s graduating class to celebrate the opening of 26 York Street. The bullae act as time capsules, containing each student’s wishes and hopes, to be opened in 2057. Other commissions, like painted or sculpted portraits to mark an individual’s contribution in their field, or to the University, are perhaps more traditional in fundamental concept. But each is fresh and innovative in execution.

The portraits of Professor Ethna Gaffney and Professor Ellen Moorhouse fall into this category. They were commissioned from artist Vera Klute, whose depictions of Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, Garry Hynes, and herself, form part of the collections of the National Gallery of Ireland. Klute also won the Hennessy Portrait Prize in 2015 for her painting of Anne Ryder. The two RCSI portraits are similarly sized, at 55cm x 38cm, and have a similar strong, simple composition, set against a solid, bright background colour, one pink and one orange. Each makes a feature of the many subtle colours of skin, grooved and shadowed here and there, with light reflected from the high point of a cheekbone and the plane of a forehead, catching a clarity and steadiness of gaze. There is playfulness here, too, the women’s expressions suggesting amusement, their hair lively, even slightly unruly. But although

there are similarities, these are two distinct portraits of two distinct and distinguished women.

Department

She had a month to produce an 18-month programme in chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, bacteriology and nutrition in health.

The Ethna Gaffney Award is given to the student in Direct Entry Medicine who achieves the best aggregate mark across all modules in the Foundation Year, while the Ellen Moorhouse Award in Clinical Microbiology is awarded to the top-performing student in a microbiology essay competition in Year 2. Already commemorated by these awards, who were the women whose images are now expressed in these portraits?

Ethna Gaffney was born Ethna Elizabeth O’Malley. Her mother, Christina Ryan, was from a well-known family, the Ryans of Tomcoole in Wexford. The family home was a meeting place for nationalists during preparations for the Rising, and Christina’s sisters were members of Cumann na mBan. The Ryans were a family of bright, passionate high achievers, their lives shot through with education, politics, science, and public service. On Ethna’s father’s side, the Galway clan O’Malley traced direct descendants from the 16th-century pirate queen Gráinne Mhaol. Michael O’Malley, her father, was born in the Maam Valley. He studied at Queen’s College, Galway, (later University College Galway, and now the University of Galway), completed a

Professor Ethna Gaffney (1920 – 2011), first female Basic Sciences Professor, RCSI

of Chemistry and Physics.

Members of the Gaffney family with artist Vera Klute, including Professor Eoin Gaffney and his partner Deirdre, Michael Gaffney and his partner Anne, and Phyllis Gaffney and her partner Cormac.

residency at the Mater in Dublin and spent some time in London before coming home to the anatomy department in Galway. He was Professor of Surgery at UCG from 1924 to 1956. Michael and Christina had seven children, three of whom became doctors.

Ethna claimed to have registered for science on her first day at UCD because the registration queue was the shortest one, a happy chance which affected the course of her whole career. In 1944, she was brought on board to plan Ireland’s first Diploma in Dietetics for St Mary’s College of Domestic Science, Cathal Brugha Street. She had a month to produce an 18-month programme in chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, bacteriology and nutrition in health. She was only 23, hadn’t yet completed her PhD, and the idea of studying dietetics was still new – so new that the course had just seven students registered in that first year. The Irish Independent noted about the ‘new profession’ of dietician that ‘as no Irish hospital employed a qualified dietician it was impossible for students to complete their practical training within the country’. By 1949, though, it had blossomed into a four-year full-time course recognised by the British Dietetic Association, and change was spreading, with hospitals leading the way in employing dieticians, and other institutions starting to follow.

Ethna fell in love with a Dublin pathologist, Dr James Gaffney, known as Jim. He had worked in a Red Cross hospital in Normandy towards the end of the Second World War, and when they met he was lecturing at Trinity, and became an external examiner at RCSI. Together with Alan O’Meara who had been the extern, and who was proposing Jim for the job, they came up with a plan for Ethna and Jim to work together, with Ethna marking chemistry and physics papers and prepping Jim for the physics orals. The couple married in 1947, and were living at Tolka Lodge in Finglas when two immeasurably sad events occurred. First their small son Patrick drowned in the River Tolka, and only three months later, Jim died in a plane crash en route to Dublin from Northolt. Jim was described as ‘a brilliant young man in the prime of life … one of the foremost European scholars … [with] an enviable reputation … on his way to a greater one’. When he died, Ethna was pregnant with their fourth child. She had given up work when she married, but now, as a widow with three young children to support, she resumed. First she took up a bacteriology research position at Trinity, and later returned to RCSI, where in 1961 she was appointed Professor of Chemistry, RCSI’s first female professor and first female head of department. She continued in this post until she retired in 1987. She died in 2011.

She taught at RCSI for nearly 30 years before finally retiring in 1995.

of Clinical Microbiology in 1967. She was born in 1928 and grew up in Dublin. Her parents, Patrick Geraghty and Kathleen Carroll, were married in Dublin’s Pro-Cathedral in Marlborough Street in late September 1921, just as negotiations over the Anglo-Irish Treaty were about to get underway in London. Patrick was a cattle-dealer and the son of a cattle-dealer, and Kathleen was the eldest child and only daughter of Tuam merchant Patrick Carroll and his wife Ellen. Ellen attended RCSI as a student,

Ellen Catherine Moorhouse became the first female Clinical Sciences Professor at RCSI when she was appointed to the College’s new Department

Professor Ellen Moorhouse (1928 – 2004), first female Clinical Sciences Professor, RCSI Department of Clinical Microbiology.

Members of the Moorhouse family, including Dr David Moorhouse (Class of 1987), his wife Susan, with Ellen Moorhouse’s brother Malachy Geraghty and sister Connie Gannon, alongside Kathryn Moorhouse with her husband Sean Carroll, and their children Brian and Sophie.

graduating in 1952, when she took a job at Dr Steevens’ Hospital (which closed in 1987) and then spent some years working in England. In 1963 she married John Richard Moorhouse, and they had two children. Back in Ireland, she became reader in medical microbiology in 1965 before her professorship in 1967. She taught at RCSI for nearly 30 years, and she also worked at the National Medical Rehabilitation Centre and at Beaumont Hospital, before finally retiring in 1995. In 2022, the laboratory at Beaumont was renamed the Ellen Moorhouse Laboratory, and RCSI President, Professor Laura Viani, described it as a “fitting tribute to the lasting impact and influence our first female Clinical Sciences Professor has had at RCSI”.

Ellen Moorhouse’s department continues to educate student doctors about sepsis, healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial resistance and improving patient care through research into the prevention and control of healthcareassociated infections and antibiotic resistance and superbugs. Her legacy lies in the work of the department and of the doctors educated there. The award and laboratory which bear her name, and the portrait which commemorates her, remind all of us of it.

Klute believes a less polished look makes for a more interesting painting.

The portraits of Professor Gaffney and Professor Moorhouse were painted posthumously, commissioned to honour the contributions both women made in their fields. “Of course it’s difficult to paint a face you’ve never seen,” Vera Klute says, “and so I like to be able to look at as many photographs as possible. It’s very rare that a snapshot will do someone justice, so I usually combine elements from different photos. One photo won’t capture a personality anyway.”

By their nature, these are public portraits, rather than family portraits, but no-one is ever just a public person, and in such situations, as well as sifting through photographs, Klute likes to talk to family members, if at all possible. This helps her to get a sense of the character and personality of the subject. She recalls approaching the painting of Ethna Gaffney through conversation with Gaffney’s daughter. “Actually I thought she looked quite like her. But hearing her daughter speak about her, I got a different sense of her, I got a sense of the family and by extension of the subject.” They talked about her eye colour, the colours she would have worn, looked at some of the family’s more casual photographs. Klute believes a less polished look makes for a more interesting painting, and it is much more contemporary approach, while still having a formal composition. “I’m not always a fan of having women smiling, looking agreeable. Actually lots of people have quite an awkward smile. But if the smile is part of the person, it can be right

to include it.” The bold background colours are another element which contribute to the impression of the paintings as fresh and modern. “It’s a way to establish the paintings as more contemporary. I’m not interested in making something that’s pretending it was painted years ago when it is painted now, and artistically I’m not interested in trying to copy an old style.” This approach can be entirely compatible with the portraits being commissioned as a formal way of honouring achievement. “You are honouring the role, definitely, you are trying to reflect that too.”

Klute says that commissioning these portraits can change people’s fundamental perceptions of women, that youth and beauty are not the only attributes to prize; it is precious to be a little older and have more wisdom. “And you do have to choose, of course, the age at which to paint the subject. So I have made them a little bit older, not too young. That’s an important decision.” She finds people on the whole open-minded in their responses to portraiture in general. “Contemporary art is something people don’t always feel ‘educated’ enough to have an opinion on. But responding to a face, reading a face, is innate, it’s the first thing babies do. And it brings an emotional reaction. And people feel freer to express that opinion.” ■

Vera Klute, RHA.

A LIFE’S WORK

Professor Hannah McGee’s journey from a Carlow farm to Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs at RCSI is a testament to a life dedicated to education and research. Her commitment to student development has shaped the University and has contributed to its role as one of the greatest healthcare educational institutions in the world

Professor Hannah McGee, who recently retired as RCSI Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, was born in Waterford, but grew up in Borris, County Carlow, the eldest of five children. Her mother and father, Mary and Tom McGee, were farmers with a passion for education, so after attending the local national school, the young Hannah went to boarding school at St Leo’s College in Carlow Town.

“The Mercy Sisters were ahead of their time in terms of pushing everyone to focus on their strengths,” recalls Professor McGee, “and we were able to take chemistry, physics and biology, as well as German, which was very unusual at the time. They persuaded shy people like me to get involved in debating, which has benefited me for my whole life.”

After school, Professor McGee went to Trinity where she took an honours degree in psychology through natural sciences. She shared a flat with two school

friends; three others from school were in her class in Trinity.

“That made it feel not quite so terrifying,” she says. “Dublin was a very exciting city at the time. I worked in the Dandelion Market on weekends, selling vintage clothes and jewellery. My claim to fame was that I never spent 50p going to see U2 who played there because I used to go to see the Virgin Prunes instead; I thought they were going to be big!”

Professor McGee and her friends socialised in the lively centre of Dublin, attended social justice and political talks given by many different characters including Noel Browne, who had just founded the Socialist Labour Party, and went to traditional music sessions featuring upcoming artists such as Christy Moore and Mary Black.

After completing her undergraduate degree in 1981, Professor McGee embarked on a PhD evaluating how psychological factors influence recovery from surgery.

“I’ve always been interested in how the mind affects the body, the sense that if you’re not happy in mind, you’re not going to be healthy in body.”

“I’ve always been interested in how the mind affects the body,” she says. “I took that from my parents, the sense that if you’re not happy in mind, you’re not going to be healthy in body. Professor Sheila Greene, who was Professor of Psychology in Trinity at the time, the only woman in the department, was my PhD supervisor and an important mentor to me. I found her tenacity inspiring. And before I was ever involved in RCSI, the person who enabled me to pursue my PhD research in St James’s Hospital was Professor Tom Hennessy, who was Professor of Surgery at Trinity and subsequently President of RCSI. He facilitated me interviewing patients pre- and post-surgery, at a time when the whole area of health psychology and psychological factors influencing physical health wasn’t quite so well-developed and not everybody would have been so open to that kind of research.”

On completion of her PhD, Professor McGee spent a year with the Health Education Bureau, before applying, in 1987, for the position of Lecturer in Psychology – her ‘dream job’ – in RCSI’s fledgling Department of Psychology, which had been established by Professor Ciarán O’Boyle two years previously.

“We were recruited by Professor Kevin O’Malley who was Dean at the time, and went on to become Chief Executive and later President in Bahrain,” says Professor McGee. “He was very good at keeping an eye on international trends and felt that the best international medical schools were teaching behavioural sciences, psychology and communication skills to students and that we should be doing the same in RCSI. Kevin was also a great supporter of research and got us involved in quality of life research in relation to cardiovascular disease,

LEFT At the programme launch for SPHeRE in 2014.

BELOW LEFT Pictured with colleagues from the Department of Psychology and Health Services Research Centre in 1996.

BELOW RIGHT Celebrating RCSI’s achievement of university status in 2019, with Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD and Professor Cathal Kelly, then CEO, RCSI.

his area of interest. The Chief Executive after Kevin was Michael Horgan, and he was also super at giving me opportunities to develop within RCSI.”

One of Professor McGee’s proudest research activities was undertaking the study that became known as SAVI (Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland) – a population survey of more than 3,000 people compiled in 2002, providing a first comprehensive documentation of child and adult sexual abuse. Completed before a decade of revelation of abuse in many institutional settings, it provided a baseline for service and policy change. And with much campaigning, it was repeated in 2023 by the Central Statistics Office, with a government commitment to regular repetition to track and refine policy and service changes.

Professor McGee was involved in establishing a Health Research Board-funded structured PhD programme in Health Services Research with TCD and UCC in 2007; this has evolved into SPHeRE, now a national Structured Population Health, Policy and Health Services Research Education PhD programme, under the founding leadership of her colleague Professor Anne Hickey.

In 2007, Professor McGee established the Division of Population Health Sciences, an umbrella grouping across the Departments of Psychology, General Practice and Epidemiology. This fostered much research success and formed the basis for the establishment of the School of Population Health Sciences, as RCSI’s seventh school, in 2022.

During her time at RCSI, Professor McGee held numerous roles, including Head of Psychology (2007-9), Deputy Director of Research (2009), and Dean (2010), culminating in her appointment as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic

Affairs (2020), following RCSI’s designation as a University of Medicine and Health Sciences in late 2019.

At a time when there were not many women in positions of senior leadership in RCSI, Professor McGee felt she was always supported to take the next steps to career opportunity. Alongside the CEOs, she notes she was particularly encouraged by the late Professor Brian Harvey, then Professor of Molecular Medicine who sadly died last year, and Professor Kevin Nolan, the Head of School of Postgraduate Studies and Professor of Chemistry.

“They both strongly encouraged me to go forward for the position of Dean in 2010 when Professor Cathal Kelly became Chief Executive,” she says. “I think they liked the idea of somebody who was quite research-oriented but also focused on students and student education.”

Throughout her career, Professor McGee’s overriding goal was to ensure that RCSI’s healthcare students were prepared for lifelong education and career development. Initially, she worked to introduce a psychological underpinning to educational curricula, and a focus on understanding the experiences and concerns of patients and how aspects of memory, emotion, stress, and life experiences impact on the patient’s experience and outcomes.

“More recently,” she says, “taking research evidence from positive health sciences, we focused on a major redevelopment of the curriculum to support students to work on their own self-development along ‘growth mindset’ principles by introducing concepts of self-care and resilience alongside developing professionalism and leadership as they start to form their identities as healthcare professionals. These will be the tools and values that remain, to sustain them in their careers, long after facts learned become outdated or readily available through innovations such as AI.

“Acknowledging a continuum of lifelong education and of ‘user’ insights, just as we involve public and patient involvement (PPI) in research and education, we have formalised our engagement with students as co-developers of our processes, governance and offerings. The Student Engagement and Partnership (StEP) Programme, which facilitates staff and students working together on student-identified education innovation projects, gives voice to the creative potential of the next generation of healthcare leaders, as shapers as well as consumers of our education.”

Professor McGee is proud that RCSI received the 2022 ASPIRE Award from the Association for Medical Education in Europe, for student engagement, led by Deputy Dean, Professor Celine Marmion. She praises the contribution of her own team and many across all departments for the focus on students which underpins this recognition.

RCSI has changed enormously over the time Professor McGee has been working at the University.

“When I joined RCSI, it was a medical school and there were about 140 students a year. And there was the international mix that everybody associates with RCSI. Because of that cultural diversity it has always been a very interesting place to work in any kind of role, but as a psychologist thinking about teaching, about child development, stress, pain, anxiety, and the meaning of illness, it was fascinating to reflect on whether what we had learned in our courses was only from the Western perspective and what principles and ideas were universal, and so interesting to engage with students around issues to do with illness, death and dying, and death practices.”

During Professor McGee’s time at RCSI, the college became more multidisciplinary, with greater opportunities for research coinciding with the move of the Jervis and Richmond Hospitals to the new Beaumont Hospital in 1987.

“Once you start having a number of disciplines,” she notes, “the opportunities for research expand exponentially and what has been really interesting is the way in which one discipline might complement another. I think because we were such a small organisation, and the schools were co-located, with one common room where staff met, people developed a greater appreciation of each other’s talents and interests. That has led to some very interesting and important collaborative research. I think that’s unique to RCSI, something you might not get in a larger institution.”

Since 2010, RCSI has added three new schools: the School of Population Health, which has a focus on developing the evidence and the evaluation skills to study and to intervene at whole population levels; the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, which combines knowledge from pharmacy and pharmaceutics; and the School of Dentistry, established in 2024, to graduate dentists to meet local and international dental workforce shortages.

It has also added a new BSc in Advanced Therapeutic Technologies, preparing science-focused students to work in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. At postgraduate level, a new two-year Physician Associate qualification, the first in Ireland, which trains science graduates to work with physicians across a range of areas, has commenced.

Since 2013, the continuous professional development of staff has been supported by a Healthcare Professions Education Centre, providing scholarly input and research on education alongside a popular education diploma, now required for all academic staff in advance of career progression.

Professor McGee is particularly proud of RCSI’s association with the Dublin Fire Brigade, with over 700 fire officers training as paramedics and receiving an NUI diploma in paramedical studies through RCSI since 2002.

The biggest physical change at RCSI during Professor McGee’s time at the University has been the opening in 2017 of the new state-of-the-art medical simulation facility added in a ten-floor extension to the city centre campus.

“That was a game changer,” says Professor McGee, “in the sense it allowed

At the launch of the RCSIsmj in 2014.

us to think differently about some of our education and to build the simulation facilities. And that’s been amazing because you have people in their first year of college using those facilities and you have people who are the leaders in surgical innovation using them as well. It allows people to realise the truth of what we’re saying to students, which is you are in a lifelong learning career and you’re going to see people in the same building and on the same floors as you who are much more advanced in their career, but they’re still learning, they’re figuring out new techniques and they’re practising techniques. The fact that the building is used by everybody from the first years practising basic communication skills right through to people in the most innovative areas of robotics is great.”

For Professor McGee, an annual highlight has been RCSI’s International Education Forum, an internal conference where staff from RCSI’s different campuses come together to share their experiences and innovations with one another.

“It’s a chance to get over 200 people together to address challenges, and to consider innovations and local solutions of colleagues across our different schools and campuses,” explains Professor McGee. “Our international staff colleagues share our passion to deliver the best international curricula and so it’s a hugely important feature of our education innovation ambitions.”

This enthusiasm for innovation was vital for RCSI in achieving university status in 2019, the highlight of Professor McGee’s career.

“It took over 50 years of planning by many leaders, and a decade of focused work, to make it happen,” says Professor McGee. “We went from being a medical training college to an institution that developed a strong research portfolio in the last 50 years. Along the way, we added schools of physiotherapy and pharmacy, nursing and midwifery, and healthcare management, and a strong postgraduate school delivering doctoral degrees alongside significant research grant income, led by our Office of Research and Innovation.”

Achieving university status further enabled RCSI to expand its international footprint, developed initially because of the international reputation RCSI had established as a leading surgical training centre. Along with a strong presence in the Middle East, RCSI has an overseas university branch campus in Penang, Malaysia, a joint venture with UCD and one of only ten foreign branch campuses in Malaysia; it is also about to start pharmacy education in China’s Soochow University.

Professor McGee notes that global changes in higher education have led to increased national and international accreditation and regulatory demands.

“In many ways, it is a tougher environment now,” she says. “Your feet are to the fire all the time, but this regulation has led to greater professionalisation in academia, which can only be a good thing, particularly in an increasingly competitive international education environment. Our overseas campuses, and common curricula and academic exams and awards, have challenged and continue to challenge us to ensure we deliver an international education in all of our campuses – and not just an Irish education to international students and locations.

“We are now in the world’s top 300 universities (Times Higher Education ranking), which is an incredible achievement for a small single faculty institution. And it signals the strength of both scholarly activities, research and education. Even more pleasing, in terms of our core business as a healthfocused institution, we were ranked world number one in 2020 and again in 2023 for our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goal Number 3, Good Health and Wellbeing.”

In addition to her roles at RCSI, Professor McGee has served as President

“Your feet are to the fire all the time, but this regulation has led to greater professionalisation in academia, which can only be a good thing.”

of both the Psychological Society of Ireland and the European Health Psychology Society.

“I think the skills that you develop from being involved in professional bodies outside the formal academic environment and from learning how to bring about change in what are effectively voluntary groups are very worthwhile in the workplace,” she says. “Your ability to get things done is about your persuasive skills and leadership rather than management skills. You don’t have any authority to require anyone to do anything, so the success you have is really down to your ability to inspire people. You can’t micromanage senior people.”

Reflecting on her career, she is proud to have played a part in continuing RCSI’s legacy of innovative approaches to healthcare and health sciences education, from campus infrastructure to curricular developments designed to foster graduates who will have career impact on global population health.

Although Professor McGee retired in October 2024, she remains involved with the School of Population Health – she calls it her ‘scientific home’ – as Professor Emeritus.

With additional free time, Professor McGee says she would happily put some of her skills to good use in the not-for-profit or charity and voluntary sector, but has yet to decide on a project. She says she has a few ideas, but is taking her time to figure out what exactly it is she wants to do. In the meantime, she plans to dabble in painting and rekindle her love of art, a subject she enjoyed in school.

While she plans her next steps, Professor McGee is making the most of a more relaxed schedule by attending a diverse range of concerts from Alabama 3 to Robbie Williams to the Irish Folk Awards to Patti Smith.

Professor McGee is not a golfer, but having always enjoyed gardening she now has more time to spend coaxing her plants despite the challenges of an eighth-storey roof terrace. She traces the pleasure she derives from making things grow to her upbringing on a farm

Aside from a sabbatical at Oxford University in 1997, and that initial year with the HEB, Professor McGee has spent her entire career at RCSI. Based in Dublin, she has had extensive engagement with the University’s campuses in Bahrain and Penang, and was involved in a ten-year student recruitment contract at Perdana University in Kuala Lumpur.

“Ironically,” she says, “having been in a small organisation for my whole career, I’ve done a huge amount of travel. I’ve been to lots of faraway places, including Iran, Myanmar and Japan. India is the furthest destination on my list now, and I’m looking forward to exploring Europe a bit better, visiting small cities at a slower pace. I’m keen to get to know Eastern Europe better.

“I’ve never been idle but I’m good at letting myself get bored in order to direct me in terms of what it is I feel like channelling my energies into. So I’m enjoying this phase of thinking: ‘What is it I want to do next?’ I do know I want to do something. I’m not one to sit and vegetate.” ■

SPEAKING VOLUMES

Alumni and students say the student-run RCSI Student Medical Journal plays an essential role in the University’s ecosystem and is often students’ first contact with academic publishing, presenting an opportunity to develop research, writing, editing and publishing skills

In the first edition of RCSIsmj, published in 2008, founding Director, Gavin Falk, wrote that he and his colleagues on the committee believed that establishing an RCSI student medical journal was “a worthwhile endeavour that will be of benefit to current and future medical students at this school”.

Gavin’s primary motivation was to share student research and scientific writing through publication.“As medical students,” he wrote, “we engage in research and scientific writing … either independently or as part of our school’s curriculum. Yet often a summer project is shelved, research fails

to yield a manuscript, or an insightful class essay disappears amongst a sheaf of lecture notes. Furthermore, work that is formally recognised (for example through presentation at research day or by the awarding of a class medal) is not seen or read by most of the student body.”

Against a backdrop of a declining number of physicians entering academia, Gavin’s secondary purpose was to encourage medical students to undertake research and authorship.

Speaking from Washington, Dr Gavin Falk (Medicine, Class of 2008)

Previous covers of the RCSIsmj

explains, “I brought the idea to Professor Tom Fahey who used to be on the editorial board of the British Medical Journal,” Dr Falk explains, “and he suggested I spend a day in London with the BMJ Student He even helped finance my flight and expenses as well as giving me ideas and contacts. When I came back, I commandeered my close friends and together we came up with the criteria for publication. Clara Boyd (Medicine, Class of 2008), who was a very good writer, was enthusiastic and together we put out calls for submissions. What we got back was terrible! We ended up doing more rewriting than editing. And there was not much interest in that first edition. We were almost in tears, there was some pain.”

The staff structure Dr Falk devised during his student days, with a clear succession route from Senior Editor to Editor-in-Chief, to Director, has been key to the success of the RCSIsmj, ensuring continuity and embedding institutional memory.

On a personal note, Dr Falk credits Professor Fahey with encouraging him to undertake research during his time in RCSI and to continue it during his residency in the US.

“By the time I was applying to get into paediatric surgery, a very competitive field, I had more than 50 papers to my name, and they were my currency.”

“It provides a supportive environment to learn the basics of manuscript writing ...”

Professor Philip O’Halloran

As Director, Dr Falk persuaded his friend and fellow Corkonian, Philip O’Halloran, who was then in final year medicine and captain of the Beaumont Hospital Cup rugby team, to write a piece on the history of the Dublin Hospitals Rugby Cup, the oldest rugby trophy in World Rugby.

“It was something I’d never considered, and it felt completely outside of my comfort zone,” recalls Professor O’Halloran (Medicine, Class of 2008). “Originally, I thought it would be very different to writing a scientific paper, but as I set out my strategy it became clear that there were many similarities in writing this narrative piece: literature review, archive searches, flow, formatting. Professor Michael Farrell, a Consultant Neuropathologist in Beaumont, worked closely with me on the manuscript and to this day remains a close mentor and even better friend.”

Professor O’Halloran’s interests in rugby and brain trauma aligned in subsequent years, and as a neurosurgeon he works closely with elite athletes in managing brain injuries, both on the side of the pitch and in clinical settings, as well as on academic projects. He is the principal investigator of the largest brain injury study in rugby players anywhere in the world, funded by a €2.5 million EIC European grant in collaboration with IRFU and World Rugby.

“I would highly recommend students get involved with the RCSIsmj,” says Professor O’Halloran. “It provides a wonderful supportive environment to learn the basics of manuscript writing, a skill you need throughout your medical career.”

Another student involved early on was Dr Sameer S. Kassim (RCSI

RCSISMJ: CURRENT TEAM

Stephen Clare, Director

I started in Graduate Entry Medicine in 2021 and became aware of the RCSIsmj when the Director at the time, Brian Li (Medicine, Class of 2022), gave an introductory talk to new students. I remember listening to him speak about the history and impact of the journal, and its ethos, and it lit a fire in me. I wanted to get involved in whatever capacity I could. I applied for a position as Senior Editor at the end of my first year. The way RCSIsmj functions is that its leadership positions are a three-year commitment. So, if you get the job, you will naturally progress the following year to the role of Editor-in-Chief and the year after to Director. Each role depends on the knowledge acquired in the previous one. I knew when I was applying that if I got it, it would define my time in RCSI. It was such an honour to be chosen for such a competitive and prestigious job, and I remain so grateful to my predecessors for their guidance, trust, and mentorship.

RCSIsmj is unique within RCSI because it's a student-run organisation. There's a responsibility to conduct ourselves to a high standard.

Each year we aspire to publish no later than May. We print between 500 and 1,000 copies alongside the digital edition. The paper editions are circulated through the RCSI campuses in Dublin and abroad, and through hospital sites. You can do almost all the work for the journal via email, which makes it extremely equitable for students.

Regardless of where you’re placed within RCSI’s network you can participate. We are not elitist or exclusionary. This year, almost 20% of students involved are based in Bahrain – an area of growth that we have actively been promoting and supporting for several years. One of the future ambitions we have discussed is to involve students from other undergraduate disciplines including pharmacy and physiotherapy. If you want a career in research, if you want to publish, we will help you if you are willing to work for it. This sense of community is important to us. RCSIsmj fulfils an essential role in the University’s ecosystem and is often a student’s first contact with academic publishing.

We get many queries from peers who, for example, want to devise a study and approach a researcher about it, but they have a question about ethics. Is this a good idea? How should I structure this? What kind of statistics should I propose? There's a lot of informal mentorship and students are inclined to seek support first and foremost from their peers. We liaise closely with the University and this year some very kind faculty members have donated their time to be points of contact for things outside our expertise.

Each role is different. As Senior Editor, you work with the staff writers over the summer, as Editor-in-Chief you are responsible for compiling the magazine, and as Director you oversee the running of the RCSIsmj as an organisation. It’s a robust learning experience. We joke between us that anyone in this position should come out with an honorary degree in copyright law, with a minor in graphic design. I have found it rewarding to acquire so many skills over the past three years, particularly in leadership and people management. I see research and writing as being very much part of my career into the future.

Bahrain, Medicine, Class of 2012), Research/Innovation Professor with the Office of Research and Quality Improvement in the Department of Family Medicine, University of Manitoba, who was Vice-Director and President of RCSIsmj Committee in Bahrain, and as an author contributed to Volumes 1 and 3.

“When I entered RCSI I had recently completed my masters work in HIV at McMaster University in Canada and considered myself a scientist first and then a medic. Given my previous research experience my peers selected me to guide the RCSIsmj Committee in Bahrain and we hosted small group workshops focused on research, writing, and clinical inquiry facilitated by some of the professors. Ultimately, we hosted our own Research Day once we reached a critical mass of clinical teachers and their students doing research and submitting their work for publication.”

Dr Kassim combined his interests in mental health and history in an essay on shell shock, and his work on comparative teaching methods led to changes at both Bahrain and Dublin in education and the alumni offices respectively. Part of his current work has to do with quality improvement of health systems, a natural follow-on from an article about the King Hamad Hospital, its accreditation and operations.

“Today, in a full circle moment, I am a surveyor for Accreditation Canada and perform this function for our health system,” he says. “I can only say that my time with RCSIsmj was highly influential both on me and I hope on our University.”

Consultant Plastic Surgeon Mr Jack Woods (Medicine, Class of 2012) contributed a review article to RCSIsmj Volume 5 while he was a graduate entry medical student and now has over 30 publications to his name.

“I went on a sub-internship to Johns Hopkins,” he recalls, “and while I was there the plastic surgery group was planning its first face transplant, which was very novel surgery. As a student I would never have got published in a highranking journal, but I was able to write a review article through research, having

“The confidence it provided me in pursuing my career cannot be understated and has fostered a continued love of research which has helped me to where I am now.”

Dr Katharine Harper

observed the prep work, cadaveric labs and meetings. I wrote about transplants that had taken place in China and France, the ethical concerns, and the steps through which the selected patient had to go through. The peer review aspect brought my article to the standards of an academic journal, through a process that was not too intimidating.” Having the article published was “very helpful” to Mr Woods when he applied to the plastic surgery scheme, and head and neck reconstruction is one of his sub-specialties.

Dr Katharine Harper (Medicine, Class of 2013), an Orthopaedic Arthroplasty Surgeon specialising in hip and knee replacements, contributed as an author and assisted with editing and peer reviewing.

“I wanted to get involved with more research-oriented tasks and felt that contributing would help me not only better understand how the research and publication process worked but also inspire me to pursue my own research ideas,” she recalls. “My publication in Volume 6 was a review article on total ankle arthroplasty. It was a solo paper detailing the history of ankle replacements and how design modifications throughout the years had made the surgery more successful for wider selection of patients.

“I have since become a full-time arthroplasty surgeon, and that first publication shaped how I continue to write review articles now. I can truly say that having that paper published made me believe I could be an orthopaedic surgeon. The confidence it provided me in pursuing my career cannot be understated and has fostered a continued love of research which has helped me to where I am now.”

Plastic Surgery Specialist Registrar Dr Katie Nolan’s involvement with the RCSIsmj began when she won the 2016 Ethics Challenge for her paper on the ethics of gene editing. Dr Nolan (Medicine, Class of 2020) began as a Staff Writer in 2017, and, as Senior Staff Writer from 2018-2020, contributed articles on topics from head transplants to synthetic biology, precision psychiatry and novel antibiotic drugs.

Having been a scientist prior to studying medicine as a mature student,

Prof. Philip O’Halloran.

Dr Sameer S. Kassim.

Dr Katharine Harper.

Dr Gavin Falk.

Dr Katie Nolan.

Dr Eoin Kelleher.

Dr Suzanne Murphy.

she was used to disseminating research and cutting-edge scientific discoveries, and during her undergraduate degree and postdoctoral research, had been an active contributor to newspapers and periodicals.

“RCSIsmj is a high-quality publication, and I love that it is entirely student-run,” says Dr Nolan. “The mixture of review articles, independent research and commentary was always interesting and informative. I also contributed book reviews and interviews with experts in the field of anaesthetics and diabetes research. My participation in the publication gave me a real appreciation for writing, publishing and working to deadlines.”

Academic anaesthetist Eoin Kelleher joined RCSIsmj as Junior Editor in Second Year and progressed through the ranks to Director. As an author, he contributed to Volume 7. Dr Kelleher (Medicine, Class of 2014) saw it as a way of honing his skills in academic writing and was most involved in editing and peer review.

“I have recently finished a PhD and scientific writing is an important part of my career. I am currently Editorial Fellow at the British Journal of Anaesthesia and the skills of critical appraisal I developed at RCSIsmj have stood to me. As a medical student, you don’t get to practise these, so it is a good set of skills to acquire. How would you acquire them otherwise? The tasks tended to be quite solitary, though we would meet for coffee coming up to publication. RCSIsmj was very well set up; there was very little churn and guidance was available. It’s quite an achievement that it’s still going.”

Dr Suzanne Murphy (Medicine, Class of 2020), who had previously qualified as a nurse, was a mature student in first year undergraduate medicine when she applied to join RCSIsmj. She authored an article in Volume 10 and progressed through the staff ranks to become Director.

“I had done an elective in health writing during my nursing degree,” recalls Dr Murphy. “I was so impressed by the quality of the articles in the Lancet student journal online and I wanted to do something similar but more local. In first year, I wrote a piece entitled ‘Was the Irish Health Care System Ready for a Repeal of the 8th Amendment?’ I chanced my arm a bit as a first year! I met the Director, Mohit ‘Mo’ Butaney (Medicine, Class of 2017), and Editor-in-Chief Jenna Geers (Medicine, Class of 2018) in the pub for an informal interview and they were both so welcoming.

“In my final year when I was Director it was a big time commitment as I was responsible for what was going out and I had a tendency to micro-manage to maintain the integrity of the journal. We always had an excess of submissions.”

Dr Murphy has completed the CST in neurosurgery and an MD in neurosurgery research at RCSI and is currently working on her PhD. Ultimately, she hopes to combine practice as a neurosurgeon with academic research.

“Being involved with the RCSIsmj helped build my confidence in publication and going to consultants with ideas for research. Since qualifying I have published further and presented at conferences. I’d encourage students to get involved in research as early as they can.”

RCSISMJ: CURRENT TEAM

My motivation for wanting to be a part of RCSIsmj stemmed from my personal background and interest in research. I previously completed a Master of Science and worked at a paediatric hospital as a research assistant before attending medical school at RCSI. Through this, I got to experience first-hand just how important research is to medicine. Research promotes discovery and innovation, allowing for continual improvement in how patients are cared for, ultimately improving outcomes and prognoses. Working in a paediatric hospital allowed me to observe the translational impact of research and how it can impact clinical decision-making.

As Senior Editor you take on a mentorship role to support students through the writing process. In some cases, it is their first time writing an academic piece. I found it very rewarding to be a mentor, and students are always excited to see their work get published for the first time! As Editor-in-Chief, I have enjoyed putting together this year’s edition. Developing the theme, assembling the articles and watching the journal come to life through everyone’s hard work and dedication has been very rewarding.

I hope one day to become an academic clinician, and being involved in the journal has helped me develop my skills in academia. I have met some great individuals who I know I will stay in contact with throughout my career. Being a part of the journal has been one of the highlights of my time at RCSI – it has been an experience I will never forget!

My journey with academic publishing began before I arrived at RCSI. I studied exercise science for my undergraduate degree, followed by a masters degree in cardiology research. Previously, I was involved in another studentled journal back in Canada which was very rewarding, so I was encouraged to see a similar initiative here.

As Senior Editor, my main responsibility is supporting the student staff writers we hire each year. Over the summer, I work closely with this group – 10 committed students who each write a piece for the journal. I work with them on their pieces to bring them up to publication standard. There is a wide range of writing ability - some of the writers are already quite skilled, while others may need a bit more guidance, particularly if it is the first academic piece they have published. My role is to help them through this process, and I often find myself learning lots about their chosen topics along the way.

I'm looking forward to learning and growing through the roles. Stephen and Victoria have been exceptional mentors to me, and I strive to pass on that same level of support and guidance to the writers I work with. That's the ethos of the journal in many ways, and part of what makes this organisation such a rewarding part of my time at RCSI. ■

Victoria Srbely, Editor-in-Chief

Mitchell Neurt, Senior Editor

DOING THE ROUNDS

NEWS, APPOINTMENTS AND CAMPUS UPDATES

RCSI LAUNCHES IRELAND’S FIRST COMMUNITY-BASED DENTAL DEGREE PROGRAMME

RCSI is preparing for its first intake of students at its Dental Education Centre in Sandyford, Dublin, as part of its innovative Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme, launching in September 2025. The building will house state-of-the-art simulation laboratories and will serve as the main hub for first and second year students, offering hands-on training in a real-world environment.

A second Dental Education Centre at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, is being built and is scheduled to open in 2027. This 4,000m² facility will feature 40 dental chairs and comprehensive clinical infrastructure, further integrating dental training into the community and strengthening RCSI’s partnership with the HSE, to improve

the oral healthcare of the population.

The BDS programme – developed with the Peninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth – is Ireland’s first undergraduate dentistry degree rooted in community-based learning. It reflects a growing global shift from hospital-based training to care in primary settings, ensuring graduates are ready to serve diverse populations, especially underserved communities. With funding support from the Higher Education Authority, an initial recurring 20 places will be offered annually to Irish and EEA students. In the fullness of time, the BDS programme is expected to deliver over 30,000 dental treatments in the community each year.

RCSI’s School of Dentistry has already

appointed ten new academic and clinical staff, including experts in oral surgery, paediatric dentistry, restorative dentistry, and dental nursing. The team is led by Professor Albert Leung, Head of the School of Dentistry. The programme’s goal is to embed students in real community care settings from the outset, aligning with Ireland’s National Oral Health Policy. These appointments reinforce RCSI’s commitment to delivering a world-class dental education experience. RCSI’s longstanding legacy in dental education, dating back to 1878, is now evolving to meet future healthcare needs – bringing care closer to patients and training the next generation of dentists where they’re needed most. For more, see Licensed to Drill, page 40.

1. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) awarded funding for the new Bachelor of Dental Surgery at RCSI to provide 20 new dentistry places per annum for Irish/ EEA students from 2025 onwards. 2. Prof. Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI; Prof. Deborah McNamara, President, RCSI; Seamus Dooley, Managing Director, JSD Contracting. 3. Prof. Albert Leung, Head of School, with newly appointed colleagues: Dr Niamh Coffey, Prof. Peter Cowan, Mary Joy Soliman, Dr Cathy Richards (Postgraduate Studies, Class of 2019), Galina Meshcherskaya, Harry Brazier, Nicole Merriman, Dr Genecy Calado de Melo and Dr Isabel Olegário. More colleagues will be joining in the coming weeks.

Milestone reached in transformational campus development at St Stephen’s Green

Opening later this year, RCSI’s new education, research and engagement building at 118 St Stephen’s Green will become the new ‘front door’ of the RCSI campus. It will include a public engagement space – called Humanarium – in which RCSI will pioneer new forms of health-related public engagement, bridging the gap between medical research, professional expertise and public understanding, and empowering the community to make informed decisions about their health. 118 St Stephen’s Green will be home to RCSI’s School of Population Health and RCSI’s Graduate School of Healthcare Management. The building will allow for the introduction of new learning communities and flexible teaching spaces. A key purpose of the project is to enhance RCSI’s research and innovation activities, with three floors of state-of-the-art laboratory, write-up and support facilities for existing and new research programmes and initiatives. A courtyard garden to the back of the building will provide a tranquil space for staff and students to unwind. See Show and Tell, page 10, for more.

The ‘topping out’ ceremony at 118 St Stephen’s Green in May 2024, attended by Prof. Laura Viani, then President of RCSI; Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Prof. Deborah McNamara, then Vice-President of RCSI; Prof. Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI.

New Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Professor Tracy Robson is RCSI’s new Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (DVCAA). Professor Robson follows Professor Hannah McGee, who was foundation DVCAA at RCSI. She will lead RCSI’s academic community in delivering a transformative and innovative education that prepares its students to make a difference for patients worldwide. She will have a particular focus on addressing healthcare workforce demands through the development of a highly skilled workforce that can meet the evolving needs of a growing and ageing population.

A cancer biologist, Professor Robson joined RCSI in 2016 as Head of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics. She became the foundation Head of the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences following its establishment in 2019. She has previously held academic appointments at Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast, where she was appointed Professor in Experimental Therapeutics in 2010. Under her leadership, the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences secured €11.3 million in educational funding, including a €7.8 million award from the Higher Education Authority under the Human Capital Initiative.

NEW EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CENTRE

A new €32 million Education and Research Centre (ERC) at Connolly Hospital was officially opened in September 2024 by RCSI President Professor Deborah McNamara, in the presence of Minister for Finance Jack Chambers TD and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD.

The new centre joins the Smurfit Building, the Education and Research Centre at Beaumont Hospital, as RCSI’s second major clinical centre of academic excellence in Ireland.

The centre will greatly enhance the student experience for Graduate Entry Medicine students based at Connolly and for RCSI students on clinical rotations at the hospital. Along with tutorial rooms and a large lecture theatre, it includes a mock operating theatre, practical skills rooms and a large public area.

Funded by the HSE, a new hospitalintegrated pathology laboratory on the

O’Brien, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, RCSI.

second floor will replace the existing hospital laboratory. This state-of-the-art facility will significantly enhance laboratory capacity in the hospital, providing essential diagnostic capacity for the communities of west Dublin, north Kildare and south Meath.

Good Health and Wellbeing

RCSI has ranked fifth in the world for ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’ in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings 2024. It is the fourth time in five years that RCSI has ranked in the top five of this global ranking, which is based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Almost 2,000 universities around the world participated in this year’s ranking, an increase of almost 1,200 since the ranking began in 2020. RCSI’s continued strong performance reflects the efforts of its community to have a positive impact on human health and to embed sustainability in the curriculum and across its operations.

RCSI CELEBRATES AWARD WINS AT TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION AWARDS

In November 2024, Dr Jenny Moffett, based in RCSI’s Health Professions Education Centre, was named Most Innovative Teacher of the Year, while the SURGhub project, led by Eric O’Flynn (GSM, Class of 2020) and Dr Ines Perić, was named Technological Innovation of the Year. The annual THE Awards celebrate excellence across a wide range of university activity including leadership and management, administration, and academia.

Prof. Tracy Robson, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; Prof. Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI; Jack Chambers (Medicine, Class of 2020), TD, Minister for Finance; Prof. Deborah McNamara, President, RCSI; Prof. Fergal

Prof. Tracy Robson, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

RCSI MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF BAHRAIN CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY

Founded in 2004, last year RCSI Medical University of Bahrain marked 20 years of educating and training world-class healthcare professionals to meet the growing needs of the region.

The University hosts over 1,600 students and almost 230 staff members from 48 nationalities across its School of Medicine, School of Nursing and Midwifery and School of Postgraduate Studies and Research.

Informed by its three key pillars of Learning and Teaching, Research and Community Engagement, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain has accomplished significant milestones over the past 20 years including the establishment of a Clinical and Biomolecular Research Centre dedicated to patient-centred translational healthcare research.

Committed to improving the health of various communities, the University has contributed to the awareness and education of more than 5,400 children in Bahrain through its Diabetes Mobile Unit and support to various charities, as well as providing healthcare support and surgeries to underprivileged communities as part of its international community engagement programme.

Over the past 20 years, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain has fostered partnerships with the healthcare sector to provide students with valuable clinical training experiences, in addition to strategic partnerships with international universities and teaching hospitals in Asia, North America and Europe.

Another milestone in the University’s journey is the approval granted by the UK’s General Medical Council to the University’s medical graduates to practice in the UK without further licensing examinations, which facilitated access to training and specialisation opportunities for our alumni.

In alignment with Bahrain Vision 2030, the University’s latest achievement is the launch of a Solar Farm providing up to 65% of the campus’ energy needs, which won the Renewable Energy and Sustainability Initiatives Award at the seventh Bahrain Smart Cities Summit in April.

CANNABIS: DAMAGE TO YOUNG MINDS

In April, almost 500 members of the public attended ‘Cannabis and young minds: What parents and families should know’, the latest in the RCSI MyHealth Lecture series. The event explored the latest research on how cannabis affects brain development and mental health in young people and the devastating impact it can have on families. Laura Stack, founder and CEO of Johnny’s Ambassadors, shared the story of her late son Johnny who died by suicide at age 19 during a psychotic episode caused by his use of potent cannabis dabs. Laura was joined by Professor Mary Cannon, Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Youth Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, RCSI; Professor Norman Delanty, Consultant Neurologist at Beaumont Hospital, Clinical Investigator with FutureNeuro Research Centre; and Professor Colin O’Gara, Consultant Psychiatrist and Head of Addiction Services at St John of God Hospital. Access the event recording and other resources at www.rcsi.com/myhealth.

RCSI Art Award

In June 2024, Donald Teskey RHA was announced as the winner of the RCSI Art Award 2024 in association with the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) and The Irish Times . The Limerick-born artist was awarded for his oil on canvas piece, ‘Orchestral II’. It was selected from a shortlist of five pieces that were chosen from 515 works on display as part of the 194th RHA Annual Exhibition, Ireland’s largest and longest-running exhibition of visual arts.

Now in its ninth year, the RCSI Art Award celebrates the longstanding association between art, medicine and wellbeing. Donald was awarded an RCSI silver medal along with a prize fund of €5,000 to progress his practice, and a €10,000 commission to create a new piece for the RCSI Art Collection.

EU AWARD FOR GENDER EQUALITY

RCSI was named Inclusive Champion for Gender Equality at the EU Awards for Gender Equality Champions in September 2024. The awards, presented by the European Commission, recognise organisations that have developed the most innovative and inclusive gender equality plans, addressing intersections with other social categories such as ethnicity, social origin, sexual orientation and gender identity (LGBTI+) or disability. This EU award is the latest in a number of achievements that RCSI has had in the area of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). In August 2023, RCSI’s Institutional Athena Bronze Award was successfully renewed. In February 2024, RCSI was named Company of the Year at the National Diversity and Inclusion Awards.

Prof. Fergal J. O’Brien, Prof. Colin O’Gara, Prof. Norman Delanty, Laura Stack, Prof. Mary Cannon and Miriam O’Callaghan.

RCSI President, Prof. Deborah McNamara with Donald Teskey RHA.

Liz Hughes, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, RCSI with Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva.

RCSI SUMMER AND WINTER CONFERRING CEREMONIES

At the summer conferrings in June 2024, 55 candidates from the School of Postgraduate Studies were conferred across the Higher Degrees of MSc, MD, MCh and PhD in a ceremony at the RCSI campus on St Stephen’s Green. Fifteen candidates were awarded MSc Physician Associate. Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter FRS OBE, Emeritus Professor of Statistics in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge was awarded an Honorary Doctorate.

At the Convention Centre Dublin, 342 degrees were conferred across the honours degrees of MB, BCh, BAO and LRCP & SI. The graduands were addressed by Professor Dorothy Roberts of Pennsylvania University, who was receiving an Honorary Doctorate. The graduates were also addressed by the Class of 2024 Valedictorian, Rachel Frankle.

At the winter conferrings in November 2024, more than 1,470 health science graduates were conferred across five ceremonies. The first ceremonies took place at the RCSI campus on St Stephen’s Green, where more than 130 candidates graduated with primary healthcare degrees including BScs in Pharmacy and Physiotherapy. At the Postgraduate Academic Awards Degree ceremony, 82 candidates received awards including PGDip, Msc, MD and PhD. Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, Director of THIS Institute and Health Foundation Professor of

Healthcare Improvement Studies in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate.

A further 336 candidates were conferred with Masters degrees from RCSI’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, as well as MScs in Healthcare Management and Leadership, Healthcare Ethics and Law, Neurology and Gerontology, Advanced Clinical Practice and Loss and Bereavement. An Honorary Doctorate was bestowed on Dr Mohamed El-Erian, President of Queens’ College at Cambridge University and Chief Economic Advisor at Allianz. Dr El-Erian, a global thought-leader and world-renowned economist, also addressed graduates and guests.

The Postgraduate Academic Awards ceremony marked the inaugural graduation of 285 candidates from RCSI’s new MSc in Positive Health Coaching programme. Degrees awarded included MPharm, MSc in Technologies and Analytics in Precision Medicine; ProfDip in Clinical Leadership, Leading Digital Health Transformation and Positive Health; and PGDip in Loss and Bereavement, Positive Health Coaching and Human Factors in Patient Safety.

The ceremonies concluded with the conferral of 638 graduates from the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the Professional Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma ceremony.

Brendan Gleeson and Helen Behan: Honorary Fellowships

Award-winning Irish actor Brendan Gleeson and BAFTA-nominated actor and nurse Helen Behan were awarded Honorary Fellowships of the RCSI Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery in recognition of their contribution to societal health and wellbeing at the opening of the 44th Annual International Nursing and Midwifery Research and Education Conference at RCSI in February. Brendan Gleeson and Helen Behan now join a distinguished list of past recipients who have demonstrated excellence in their fields.

New RCSI Physiotherapy and Pharmacy graduates Robert Staunton, Sonia Ciuciu and Ashley Ajie.

CAMPUS EXPANSION IN BAHRAIN

As it marked the celebration of its 20th anniversary, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain announced new plans for the expansion of its campus. With a commitment to contributing to the improvement of human health, patient care, and societal wellbeing, the University prioritises innovative research through the School of Postgraduate Studies and Research, with a focus on interdisciplinary clinical and patient-centred research, as well as addressing key national, regional, and global health challenges.

RCSI Teddy Bear Hospital

Over 660 children, their families, and their teddies, attended RCSI’s Teddy Bear Hospital in February. RCSI students got the chance to play ‘teddy bear doctor’ for the day, treating the injuries and ailments of their cuddly patients. This year, children were able to explore 15 stations including phlebotomy, x-ray and imaging, suturing, surgery and first aid. Students answered questions and chatted to the children to alleviate fears they might have had about doctors and medicine. Hosted by the RCSI Paediatrics Society since 2015, the event has raised funds for children’s charities in Ireland – this year the Society raised funds for Make-A-Wish Ireland whose mission is to bring joy to children who are living with life-threatening illnesses.

The ambitious expansion includes a brand new state-of-the-art academic building with research and teaching facilities, cuttingedge labs, a modern library, social spaces, and a spacious event hall. Professor Sameer Otoom, President of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, said: “As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, our planned campus expansion aligns with Bahrain’s vision to cement itself as a leading regional hub for healthcare and education, benefiting from a highly skilled workforce, and a welcoming and tolerant community.”

NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL

Professor Helena Kelly has been appointed Head of School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences.

A registered pharmacist, Professor Kelly spent eight years in the biopharmaceutical industry before returning to academia in 2008. In March 2022 she was appointed Deputy Head of the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences with responsibility for two new programmes, an MSc in Technologies and Analytics in Precision Medicine and a BSc in Advanced Therapeutic Technologies.

Professor Kelly’s research focuses on the use of delivery platforms in translational research applications and she is co-founder of the spin-out company OncoLize.

RCSI Professor appointed President Elect of European Panel

Professor Tom O’Connor from RCSI’s School of Nursing and Midwifery has been appointed President Elect of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) for 2025. Professor O’Connor will be the Panel’s President in 2026.

Professor O’Connor is a Lead Researcher in the Skin Wounds and Trauma (SWaT) Research Centre, at the School of Nursing and Midwifery. He is widely published in the field of skin wounds and trauma and has recently focused on early indicators of pressure and diabetic foot ulcers, evaluation of pressure ulcer prevention education programmes and physiological differences in response to injury depending on skin tone.

WHITE COAT CEREMONIES

Just under 700 students took part in traditional White Coat Ceremonies in October 2024. The ceremony recognises professionalism for new students of medicine, physiotherapy, pharmacy, physician associates studies and advanced therapeutic technologies.

Professor Tracy Robson, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, said: “The White Coat Ceremony is a special milestone for our students. I hope they remember this day each time they wear the coat while training in anatomy, working in the laboratory, when carrying out experiments and research, and in all areas of clinical training.” ■

Artistic impression of the new academic building, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain.

www.failteireland.ie/business-events

True Champions

RCSI recognises the loyal support of its benefactors with the ultimate honour – induction to the prestigious Court of Patrons. Carmen Ang reports

Patronage is far from a modern concept. Its origins can be traced back to ancient Egypt (circa 3000 BC) when members of the nobility offered civilians their support and protection in exchange for loyalty.

By the Middle Ages, patronage had evolved into one of the most influential social and cultural systems of its time.

Throughout the Renaissance, an era marked by significant growth and economic expansion, it was patrons who funded large-scale projects like medieval colleges, the commissioning of translations and artwork, and provided financial support for artists and musicians while they focused on their craft.

Fast forward to the present day, and patronage remains a vital part of society, particularly for educational institutions like RCSI, which is not publicly funded and relies on philanthropy and grant funding to help fund myriad research projects and strategic innovations. Patrons have been instrumental to RCSI’s advancement – it’s fair to say that the University would not be where it is today without the unwavering support it has received from generous benefactors over the years. However, patronage was not always a part of RCSI’s story.

The Start of Patronage at RCSI

In the early 1960s, RCSI was on the brink of shutting down. Despite its longstanding history, the College was in dire straits financially. While its facilities were in desperate need of repair, its income was barely enough to cover basic operations, let alone fund improvements or expansion. The College was at breaking point, so when Dr Harry O’Flanagan became Registrar in 1962, his work was cut out for him.

Fortunately, he was up to the challenge. As RCSI’s first medically trained Registrar, Dr O’Flanagan brought a unique blend of medical knowledge and administrative experience to the role, making him uniquely qualified for the daunting task ahead – figuring out a way to generate more income so RCSI could expand its facilities.

After reviewing the books, Dr O’Flanagan realised two things: the College was granted next-to-nothing in state funding because of its status as a private institution, and the little income it was managing to generate was being taxed at a business rate.

The Council had an idea of how to improve its financial situation – by gaining charitable status. The idea was inspired by the Royal College of Surgeons of

Dr Hamad Al Jaber (Medicine, Class of 1997), Founder and Chairman of PHI Group, on the occasion of his induction to the Count of Patrons.

England, which had gained charitable status a decade earlier by winning an appeal against the UK’s tax authority.

However, this approach was risky, as there was no guarantee that RCSI would win a similar court case in Ireland. If the College lost, it would be stuck with substantial legal fees.

So, rather than take the matter to court, Dr O’Flanagan used his exceptional negotiation skills to persuade the right people in the Government and the Revenue Commissioners to make an exception for RCSI, and to work with the College to find a solution to its tax status.

The plan worked, and in 1964, after an amendment to its Charter, RCSI was granted charitable status, which not only meant a significant relief in the College’s tax obligations – it also meant that the College could now accept donations from alumni and other interested parties.

And thus, patronage at RCSI was born.

Establishing the Court of Patrons

After gaining charitable status for RCSI, Dr O’Flanagan set out on a fundraising mission around the world. He travelled to the UK, Africa, and the US, engaging with alumni and asking for their philanthropic support to help grow RCSI’s facilities.

At this point, donations from the community were crucial to the College’s advancement, since RCSI wasn’t receiving significant funding from the Government, at least compared to state universities like Trinity or UCD.

In an article from 1968, Dr O’Flanagan writes, “Were [RCSI] to be treated by the Government on an equal footing with other medical schools [in Ireland]… then our current grant should be at least £107,000. That our grant is only £16,000 is a measure of the extent to which we must rely on our own resources.”

Fortunately, donations from alumni started to trickle in, and by 1969, the College had secured enough funding to begin the development of a new medical school, which would be built on York Street, just behind the old college campus.

Recognising how vital philanthropy had become to RCSI, Dr O’Flanagan decided to establish an initiative to honour the College’s most generous benefactors, calling it the Court of Patrons.

Members of this honorary group had to be nominated by a committee comprised of the President and past Presidents who were members of RCSI Council. According to an RCSI journal at the time, “elected patrons receive a Medallion of Office from the President. While membership of the Court of Patrons confers no corporate privileges upon the recipients, there will be for them a distinctive academic gown”.

New inductees were admitted to the Court of Patrons on Charter Day, by either attending or receiving mention during the ceremony. While the Court was technically established in 1968, its first-ever member, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, was not inducted until 1974. Ó Dálaigh was the President of Ireland at the time and was inducted into the Court because of his involvement in the opening of the new medical school on York Street.

Over time, 40 additional members joined the Court of Patrons. Their contributions helped fund the expansion of the College, upgrades to its facilities, and provided support for students by funding a number of university programmes, scholarships and clinical electives.

Reviving the Court of Patrons

In 2024, after a 25-year hiatus, RCSI made the exciting decision to reinstate the Court of Patrons, with the induction of its latest member, RCSI graduate, Dr Hamad Al Jaber (Class of 1997).

According to Professor Deborah McNamara, President of RCSI, “Council had been discussing for some time how best to acknowledge and celebrate our most distinguished and generous alumni.”

“As we approached the start of the academic year in September 2023, we realised it marked the 50th anniversary of the first member’s induction into the Court of Patrons. This seemed like the ideal opportunity to revive this important forum and engage leading alumni in the life of RCSI today.”

The Court’s latest member, Dr Al Jaber, graduated in Medicine, Surgery, and Obstetrics from RCSI in 1997, and is founder and chairman of PHI Clinics for Plastic Surgery in Qatar.

Support from alumni like Dr Al Jaber is crucial to the institution’s ongoing growth and success. According to Professor McNamara: “alumni donors provide essential financial resources that enable RCSI to more effectively pursue its mission and vision ‘to educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health’. Alumni contributions fund scholarships, pioneering research, new teaching facilities, and a range of initiatives that enhance RCSI’s reputation. Alumni gifts help create opportunities for students and faculty, fostering an environment of excellence and innovation.”

With more innovation on the horizon, RCSI’s future success is contingent on the continued support from generous benefactors like Dr Al Jaber, whose contributions enable the University to develop exceptional patient care and help shape the future of healthcare and surgery in Ireland and beyond. ■

1. Dr Hamad Al Jaber with his wife, Noor and four of their five sons, Mohammed, Omar, Jaber and Khalifa. 2. The new medical school building on York Street formally opened in 1976.

3. Prof. Laura Viani, then President of RCSI, reading the citation in the presence of Dr Al Jaber and Prof. Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI.

Dr Harry O’Flanagan, Registrar of RCSI (1962 – 1980).

Blood Brothers

Surgeon William Thornley Stoker (1845-1912) was licensed by RCSI in 1867, later becoming Professor of Anatomy and eventually, President. Not only did the brilliant and innovative Stoker have a glittering career pioneering groundbreaking surgeries, as Antonia Hart found out, he also provided his brother, writer Bram Stoker, with inspiration and information for his most famous novel, Dracula

William Thornley Stoker, the eldest of seven children of civil servant Abraham Stoker and his wife Matilda, grew up in Clontarf, north Dublin, an old fishing village long since absorbed into the city. The pretty 18th-century terrace of Marino Crescent curved gently, as the name suggests, around the railings of a park. Number 15, where the Stokers lived, was an attractive and spacious family home, within sight

of the sea and easy reach of the city centre. The park is now public and has been renamed Bram Stoker Park, after Thornley’s younger brother, but it was originally private, accessible only to the Crescent residents. It was a comfortable and privileged life compared to many, but with no financial cushion. The Stoker children knew that like their father, who spent his whole life in the civil service, they would have to earn their livings, and after school in Norfolk, Thornley studied medicine, first at RCSI and then Queen’s College Galway, now the University of Galway.

Louis Werner, Portrait of Sir William Thornley Stoker, 1899, oil on canvas, RCSI Art Collection.

In 1867’ he was licensed by RCSI, and in 1872’ by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI). That year he was tipped by the British Medical Journal to become surgeon to the Royal City of Dublin Hospital on Baggot Street: ‘Dr Thornley Stoker, whose claims as demonstrator and also a successful teacher are known, is at present the favourite’. He did get the job, but resigned shortly afterwards to become surgeon to the Richmond. This unexpected move was less rapturously reported, causing ‘considerable dissatisfaction among the medical profession in Dublin’ because of the greater experience of the other candidates. However, Stoker stayed on for the next 37 years, through a professional life studded with plaudits and honours. He became President of RCSI, President of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, examiner in surgery for the Royal University of Ireland, and visiting surgeon at Swift’s (St Patrick’s) Hospital, a post he held from 1878 until his death in 1912.

Stoker married Emily Stewart in 1875, and they soon moved in to Ely House on Ely Place, no ordinary townhouse, but a beautiful 36-roomed mansion. Thornley filled the house with exquisite treasures: glossy Chippendale chairs upholstered with red leather, old silver candelabra, Siena marble mantels. He was reputed to buy a ‘museum piece’ after every significant operation. “A cancer, Sir Thornley, or a gallstone?”, Oliver St John Gogarty has George Moore remark in As I was Going Down Sackville Street. In Gogarty’s memorable summing-up: ‘Sir Thornley Stoker, the famous surgeon, lives on Ely Place, and in the Eighteenth Century, which he never really leaves.’ He depicts Stoker as a collector and a connoisseur to the point of snobbery, irritated by the tasteless who ‘restored’ good furniture or preferred Hepplewhite to Chippendale. Perhaps the fact that Thornley’s early life had not been characterised by mansion living nor dining rooms too fine for Hepplewhite made him long to fill his house with the finest items, along with a good-sized domestic staff. He seems to have been status-conscious, reportedly holding out in 1895 for a baronetcy, but in the end accepting a knighthood. He was proud enough of the knighthood to squeeze it in beside ‘surgeon’ in his 1901 census form. The Stokers’ servants included a housekeeper, a parlourmaid, two housemaids, a footman, and a cook. Today, this seems like a ridiculous amount of human labour to meet the domestic needs of two capable adults, though clearly a different set of standards was in play. Mrs Beeton, after all, noted that it was only ‘the humbler house’ which had a single footman. If Thornley had come across this observation he might well have made it his business to recruit a second.

Perhaps the brilliant and innovative surgeon did have a few human weaknesses and complexities. He was a shining star in Irish medical circles though, with a wide and varied practice, and specialisations in abdominal diseases and neurosurgery. He also maintained an active interest in the arts, particularly in the intersection between art and medicine. He consistently appeared in the newspapers, and not just for his medical work: making a gift of a cockatoo to the Royal Zoological Society in 1899; fundraising for two sisters “who are in great poverty and in want of the common necessaries of life”; striking a blow for equality in 1877 by proposing a motion to the Convocation of the Queen’s University in Ireland that ‘no obstacle should be placed in the way of women availing themselves of the privilege of being admitted to degrees in medicine’, in circumstances where women had been refused access to lectures.

He was a shining star in Irish medical circles, with a wide and varied practice, and specialisations in abdominal diseases and neurosurgery. He also maintained an active interest in the arts, particularly in the intersection between art and medicine.

Thornley was also a governor of the National Gallery of Ireland, and as Professor of Anatomy at the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) he combined his twin passions of art and science. Both doctors and artists want to open the human body to understand how it is made, how it moves, and how it functions. In the 15th century, Antonio Pollaiuolo flayed bodies to reveal musculature, and in his Battle of Naked Men the skin of the ten men, posed in various attitudes of action, seems transparent, so visible are their flexed muscles. Da Vinci and Michelangelo went further and engaged in full dissections. By the 18th century, the Royal Academy of Arts included ‘a Professor of Anatomy, who shall read annually six public lectures in the Schools, adapted to the Arts of Design’. The current holder of the RHA professorship, Professor Clive Lee, is also, as Stoker was, Professor of Anatomy at RCSI. In a piece for the Irish Arts Review he quoted his RHA predecessor Cecil Erskine as saying ‘in medicine anatomy is applied; in art it is transformed’. Exploration and discussion of this idea fascinated Stoker, too. In 1875 the RHA announced that Professor Stoker would be delivering a course of lectures on Artistic Anatomy, to be held on successive Saturday evenings; the following year the course was On the Anatomy of Expression, described by one newspaper as ‘in one sense popular, yet of course somewhat technical, [it] was very ably handled by the learned lecturer, and was listened to with great interest’. Stoker was not just an outstanding scientist and doctor, but also an outstanding communicator.

Thornley Stoker’s relationship with his brother Bram has always fascinated people, particularly when it comes to tracing any influence he might have had on Bram’s impossibly successful Dracula. Was Dr Seward, ‘the lunatic-asylum man’, based on Thornley and his role at Swift’s hospital? Did Thornley brief Bram on the characteristics of the blood disorder porphyria and its related sensitivity to sunlight? In 1868, a piece in the Medical Press and Circular included a description of Dr Robert McDonnell’s treatment of a tetanus patient in Jervis Street Hospital: ‘in the endeavour of sustaining the patient’s strength he transfused blood from his own arm to that of the patient to the amount of ten or twelve ounces’. In these few words this description seems to prefigure Dr Van Helsing’s explanation to Dr Seward of how he intends to revive Lucy Westenra: ‘we are about to perform what we call transfusion of blood – to transfer from full veins of one to the empty veins which pine for him’. Lucy of course is sporting two ragged holes in her neck, near the jugular, covered up by a black velvet band with a diamond buckle. It is no wonder she needs blood.

Blood transfusions were very much in the news, so it need not have been this specific piece that Thornley Stoker read. In 1868, when it came out, he was recently qualified and working as a junior doctor, a likely reader of the Medical Press. In later years he became a contributor. Meanwhile, Bram had followed his father’s footsteps to Dublin Castle, where he was clerk of Petty Sessions, simultaneously studying at Trinity. The two brothers were starting out on their working lives, figuring out where their real interests lay. Thornley’s absorbed fascination with the boundaries of medicine must have soaked through the conversations he had with Bram. Even after Bram moved to London, he came home often, always keeping contact with Thornley. The two brothers got on well and had a shared interest in medical advances. It seems impossible that they would not have discussed the kinds of breakthroughs which were making the news.

We know that Thornley contributed to the novel with more than conversation. Specifically, he made a diagram and notes for Bram on the

Even after Bram moved to London, he came home often, always keeping contact with Thornley. The two brothers got on well and had a shared interest in medical advances. We know that Thornley contributed to the novel with more than conversation.

trephining procedure in the Renfield surgery scene, where Van Helsing notes a ‘depressed fracture of the skull’ and operates ‘just above the ear’ to ‘most quickly and perfectly remove the blood clot’. Thornley had carried out and written up a similar operation at the Richmond Hospital in 1887. Lucky Bram, to have ready access to someone who understood the minutiae of the procedure, had personally undertaken it, and was delighted to discuss it.

Thornley was not only useful to Bram, but a pioneer in his fields. His work filled his head constantly as he read, researched, thought and wrote about new methods and procedures. In the Richmond Hospital he completed Ireland’s first abdominal hysterectomy, on a patient who had a large uterine tumour. He removed the uterus, and one ovary, leaving the second, healthy ovary in place. In the first Irish brain surgeries, again at the Richmond, he removed in the first case a tumour on the right side of the brain, giving temporary relief to the patient, and in the second case an abscess, effecting a complete cure. When dentist and doctor Truman William Brophy carried out three successful cleft palate closures in Chicago, Stoker wrote a paper on the operation and read it to the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, taking questions afterwards from the assembled audience and supporting Brophy in advocating for such operations in newborns.

Blood transfusions, hysterectomies, even brain surgery, are everyday components of modern medicine, but it is worth remembering what dramatic advances these were in the 19th century. Perhaps today those outside medical spheres may think of Thornley Stoker as brother of the more famous Bram, but during his lifetime it was his own brilliance that caused the general and medical press alike to follow his career so closely, and his medical reputation that made him well-known enough around Dublin for his home to make a cameo appearance in Joyce’s Ulysses.

Emily Stoker died in 1910, and Thornley put the contents of Ely House up for auction. Copies of the catalogue survive, and sure enough the house was full not just of Chippendale and Sheraton, but of 16th-century Italian cabinetry, enormous Persian rugs, all of his collected treasures itemised room by room. He moved to Hatch Street, and in 1911 was given his longed-for baronetcy. He died in 1912. In 1899, RCSI commissioned Louis Werner, painter and ophthalmic surgeon, to paint Stoker’s portrait to mark the end of his RCSI Presidency, and it hangs in the College today, a fitting final coalition of art and science. ■

Abraham Stoker (1847-1912), known as Bram Stoker, author of the 1897 gothic horror novel Dracula

BRAM STOKER

BY W. & D. DOWNEY PHOTOGRAVURE, 1906.

BAHRAIN PRESIDENT’S HONOURS

Introduced in 2019, the President’s Honours List recognises the top six academically ranked students across RCSI Medical University of Bahrain’s undergraduate programmes. In 2025, 30 students from the School of Medicine and 23 students from the School of Nursing and Midwifery were celebrated for their outstanding academic achievements.

CONSILIO

Dara Alero Anthony, Year 1 Medicine, 2024 Aim High Medicine Scholarship recipient, pictured with Professor Tracy Robson, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at this year’s Consilio Manuque Awards. More than 70 students were recognised during the ceremony, some for attaining a scholarship to attend RCSI, and others for excelling in their academic and sporting achievements.

INTERNATIONAL NIGHT

Against the backdrop of Cultural Diversity Month, International Night at the O’Reilly Theatre was a lively showcase of RCSI’s rich multicultural community, which included traditional dances, musical performances and spoken word pieces.

Caught On Campus

On and off campus, RCSI undergraduates make the most of student life in Dublin and Bahrain

FRESHERS FESTIVAL

New students were welcomed to RCSI with a wide array of activities as part of the Freshers Festival, including the opportunity to get up close with some furry friends on the Dublin campus!

In March, 14 students at RCSI Medical University of Bahrain received awards for their valuable contribution to medical research, showcasing the commitment of the student body to healthcare research and the vibrant research culture fostered at the University.

‘I LOVE YOU TO PIECES’

In Dublin, students from the Advanced Therapeutic Technologies Society and the Environmental Society came together to transform recycled jigsaw pieces into a stunning work of art, and gained valuable insights into waste reduction, environmental stewardship, and the importance of Automated External Defibrillator (AED) awareness. The event marked the launch of the ‘Recycle 2 Revive – Can You Save a Life’ © project, which aims to use donated recycled bottles and cans to fund CPR/AED training and provide AEDs to community groups in need.

MANUQUE

PUBLICATION AWARD WINNERS

THE HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT

Year 2 Medicine students visited Beaumont Hospital for their Student Choice module on ‘The Hospital Environment’, where they shadowed hospital porters across various clinical settings, including the Emergency Department, Radiology, the wards and theatre. The Student Choice Module is part of the new Medicine curriculum at RCSI and gives students the chance to build their own curriculum by choosing from a wide range of tailored and credit-bearing student choice topics.

BREAKING RECORDS FOR RIBBONS

Final Med students Reem Almotawa and Rahaf Alawadhi brought together more than 100 participants, representing 58 nationalities, to achieve a Guinness World Record for the ‘Most Nationalities Making and Wearing Awareness Ribbons Simultaneously’.

WINTER WONDERLAND

RCSI’s Students Union, Clubs and Societies got into the holiday spirit with mince pies, mulled wine, card-making, bauble crafting and a lively game of Pin the Nose on Rudolph at the Winter Wonderland Festival in December.

RCSI AT THE 128TH BOSTON MARATHON

In 2024, RCSI celebrated 25 years of student participation in the Boston Marathon, thanks to the continued facilitation by Dr John V. Coyle (Medicine, Class of 1962), an esteemed member of the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) and recipient of the 2002 RCSI Distinguished Graduate Award.

SURGICAL SOCIETY TRIUMPHS IN NATIONAL COMPETITIONS

RCSI was represented by seven students from Surgical Society at the Intercollegiate Surgical Skills Competition, and succeeded in bringing two medals home, thanks to Year 5 student Rahi Shah and Year 3 student Karissa Sonoo.

BEATHA TEANGA Í A LABHAIRT

At the 2024 Gníomhaí Gaeilge Awards, RCSI’s Irish Soc won a gold award for their continued efforts to promote the Irish language at third-level institutions.

BIOSOC INAUGURAL ADDRESS

At the annual BioSoc Inaugural Address, Year 2 Medicine student Rhieya Rahul was presented with the Dr Arthur Stephen ffrench O’Carroll Medal for her essay on the topic of laparoscopic and robotic surgery.

STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

RCSI Medical University of Bahrain students

Jumana Atef Abouelfetouh Allam, Areeba Zia Tunio, Malak Smida, Mariana Abdul-noor, Noor Saeed Shaikh Isa Ali Hasan, Shri Aanya Sowdeswari Umakanth and Thrshith Mani Prabu Kumar spent a semester at RCSI Dublin as part of the Student Exchange Programme.

DRAMA SOCIETY

More than 40 students came together as cast and crew for RCSI Drama Society’s production of Grease, performing for audiences of more than 500 across two nights. The event raised funds for Floating Doctors, a non-profit medical relief team established by RCSI alumni Dr Benjamin La Brot and Dr Ryan McCormick.

SUCCESS IN SCOTLAND

RCSI’s Golf Team embarked on a memorable tour of Scotland in March, securing victories against the University of St Andrews and the University of Aberdeen in two exciting matches.

MATCH DAY

Students celebrated their successful applications to the US and Canadian Residency Match programmes.

BAHRAIN SPORTS DAY

Coinciding with Bahrain Sports Day, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain’s annual Health and Sustainability Week saw students and staff take part in a variety of activities to promote an active lifestyle and healthy nutrition alongside environmental sustainability, encouraging students and staff to adopt a more holistic approach to wellbeing.

ART AND ANATOMY AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY

Year 2 Medicine students were introduced to elements of visual arts training relevant to the study and practice of medicine as part of the ‘Ways of Seeing: Art and Anatomy’ Student Choice module.

CAMPUS INITIATIVE FACILITATES LAPTOP DONATION TO THOSE IN NEED

As part of the University’s ongoing commitment to serving the local community, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain donated 28 laptops to students from families in need in Bahrain, in collaboration with the Rashid Zayani Foundation with the support of iWorld.

SURF’S UP IN BUNDORAN

The annual Surf Club trip to Bundoran in County Donegal took place in March, with perfect weather creating ideal conditions for a weekend of fun on the waves.

COLLEGE BALL

More than 450 students enjoyed an elegant, Regency-themed evening at this year’s SU College Ball, which included the presentation of the Student Choice Awards, recognising the outstanding contributions and achievements of RCSI’s Clubs and Societies.

SWIM CLUB MAKE A SPLASH

RCSI’s Swim Team made its mark at this year’s Swimming Intervarsities, reaching 10 finals in total.

Research Studies For Better Health

From treatments for cancer and spinal cord injury to preventing epilepsy after traumatic brain injury, 10 RCSI research projects are helping lead the world to better health

Innovative approach maps gene activity in the living human brain

A groundbreaking method to profile gene activity in the living human brain has been developed by researchers at FutureNeuro, the Research Ireland Centre for Translational Brain Science and RCSI, in collaboration with international partners. This innovative approach opens new avenues for understanding and treating neurological conditions like epilepsy.

Studying gene activity in the brain without requiring invasive tissue samples from surgery or post-mortem donation has been a longstanding challenge in neuroscience. By analysing molecular traces –specifically RNA and DNA – collected from electrodes implanted in the brains of patients with epilepsy and linking these with electrical recordings from the brain, the researchers were able to take a ‘snapshot’ of gene activity in the living brain.

These electrodes, clinically used to pinpoint seizure activity in patients enabling surgical interventions, provide a unique opportunity to link brain activity to the genes being switched on or off in specific regions. The study demonstrates how integrating molecular data with electrical recordings of seizures can enhance our understanding of the brain’s seizure networks, potentially improving the precision of epilepsy surgeries.

Prof. David Henshall, Director of FutureNeuro and Professor of Molecular Physiology and Neuroscience, RCSI.

The research, led by Professor David Henshall, Director of FutureNeuro and Professor of Molecular Physiology and Neuroscience, RCSI, and Professor Vijay Tiwari, Professor of Genome Biology at the University of Southern Denmark, also involved a global network of collaborators including Dr Peter Widdess-Walsh, Beaumont Hospital and experts from Blackrock Clinic, Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Southern Denmark, and the Danish Institute for Advanced Study. In October 2023, FutureNeuro embarked on an ambitious expansion of its research programme dedicated to accelerating the fight against brain diseases supported with a €17.9 million Government investment through Science Foundation Ireland (now part of Research Ireland).

New breast cancer research programme

A new €5 million research programme focused on advanced breast cancer aims to improve survival rates and quality of life for patients with this challenging form of breast cancer.

The PRISM (Precision Oncology Research Initiative for Metastatic Breast Cancer) programme will be led by the Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, with Professor Leonie Young, Scientific Director, serving as the Programme Director and Dr Damir Varešlija (PGS, Class of 2014) as Co-Director.

This pioneering four-year initiative is funded by Breast Cancer Ireland, Carrick Therapeutics, and the Research Ireland Strategic Partnership Programme. Key collaborators include University College Dublin, University College Cork, the University of Galway and Cancer Trials Ireland.

In Ireland, more than 3,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year, many of which progress to metastatic disease, a form that is difficult to treat. PRISM brings together a team of researchers and experts to introduce the first national longitudinal multi-omic study for advanced breast cancer patients, using comprehensive genomic profiling to better understand and target the mechanisms of breast cancer metastasis and consequently, develop new, effective treatments.

Dr Damir Varešlija, PRISM Co-Director; Prof. Leonie Young, PRISM Programme Director; Minister Patrick O’Donovan TD; Claire Noonan, Cancer Operations and Accreditation Lead, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre; and Dr Seamus Browne, Head of Industry Partnerships at RCSI.

Practice, at the launch of the Beaumont RCSI Irish Cancer Lung Health Check.

Transforming lung cancer care in Ireland

A major step forward in the early detection of lung cancer has been taken with the launch of the Beaumont RCSI Irish Cancer Society Lung Health Check, a first-of-its-kind pilot clinical trial in Ireland. Funded by the Irish Cancer Society, this initiative will bring lifesaving lung health checks directly into the communities of North Dublin and the North East through mobile scanning units.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancerrelated deaths in Ireland, claiming more lives than breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer combined. Early detection is key to improving survival rates, and this initiative is designed to identify lung cancer and other lung conditions before symptoms appear.

The Lung Health Check pilot, supported by the EU4Health SOLACE consortium and the Department of Health’s Women’s Health Fund, will invite high-risk individuals in selected GP practices, beginning with the Centric Health network in North Dublin and the North-East region to attend a lung health check at a mobile scanning unit. This service, operated by Alliance Medical Diagnostic Imaging, will be based in local GAA clubs, including Croke Park, bringing convenient screening to community locations for those invited.

This initiative is part of the €4.9 million sixyear Beaumont RCSI Irish Cancer Society Lung Outreach Programme, the largest single investment in lung cancer in Ireland’s history. The Lung Outreach Programme will focus on early detection, advanced diagnostics, and innovative treatments. The partnership strives for better outcomes for lung cancer patients and improvements in all key areas of the disease’s management, from first GP appointment through diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.

The programme is devised and led by Professor Jarushka Naidoo, Professor of Medical Oncology at RCSI and Consultant Medical Oncologist at Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre. She expressed her enthusiasm: “This programme represents a paradigm shift for lung cancer care and innovation in Ireland. By combining the expertise of clinicians and scientists at the Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre with vital support from the Irish Cancer Society, we will not only detect lung cancer earlier but also deliver more personalised and effective treatments. This funding is a critical turning point – the largest investment for lung cancer – where it is much needed, and for those at greatest risk.”

Healing after spinal cord injury

A research team at RCSI has developed an implant which may have the potential to encourage nerve cell (neuron) repair after spinal cord injury.

“To date, it has been extremely difficult to promote the regrowth of neurons after spinal cord injury, which is a major obstacle in the development of successful treatments,” explains Professor Fergal O’Brien, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Professor of Bioengineering and Regenerative Medicine at RCSI and Head of RCSI’s Tissue Engineering Research Group (TERG). “Our research represents a promising new approach, which may have potential for the treatment of spinal cord injuries as it harnesses the capacity of neurons to carry electrical stimuli.” After injury, the long axonal projections of nerve cells are cut and ‘dieback’ from the injury site, and at the same time a lesion or gap forms at the wound site that prevents their regrowth necessary to restore function. The research team at RCSI’s TERG and the Research Ireland Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research (AMBER) Centre at Trinity College Dublin developed an implantable, electroconductive 3D-printed scaffold that can be placed directly into the injury site, bridging the gap. “We could see that when we applied electrical stimulation for a week to neurons growing on this scaffold, they developed long healthy extensions called neurites. In the body, this kind of growth would be a key step towards repair and recovery after an injury,” said Dr Liam Leahy, first author of the study and a PhD graduate from RCSI.

Prof. Fergal O’Brien, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, RCSI.

Prof. Daniel Ryan, Respiratory Consultant at the Baumont RCSI Cancer Centre; Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society; Prof. Jarushka Naidoo, Professor of Medical Oncology and Consultant Medical Oncologist, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre; and Prof. Patrick Redmond, (Medicine, Class of 2006), Head of RCSI Department of General

The body clock and inflammation

New research from RCSI explains how the body’s internal clock influences the inflammatory process of the immune system. The findings describe how immune cells, called macrophages, work differently at various times of the day and could pave the way for time-targeted treatments for inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

Researchers explored how macrophages, immune cells that detect and respond to harmful substances, trigger inflammation as a defence mechanism by assembling large complexes known as inflammasomes. Inflammasomes could be compared to ‘smoke detectors’ that alert the immune system to danger.

“When macrophages ‘think’ it’s morning, their inflammasome activation is quicker and more robust,” explained Professor Annie Curtis, principal investigator for the study at RCSI School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences. “This means the immune response is heightened during the early part of the day, when we are awake and more likely to encounter environmental challenges, such as injuries or infections.”

The study has significant implications for understanding and treating inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis, where overactive inflammasomes play a key role. Symptoms of such diseases often worsen in the morning, something this research may help explain.

“With these findings, there’s potential to refine treatments for inflammatory conditions,” said Dr James O’Siorain, lead author of the study. “New therapies targeting inflammasomes could be more effective if administered at specific times of the day when macrophage activity peaks.”

Preventing epilepsy after traumatic brain injury

A new international study has unveiled critical insights in understanding posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE), a condition that can develop following traumatic brain injury. Led by researchers at FutureNeuro, the Research Ireland Centre for Translational Brain Science, and RCSI, the study highlights the important role played by a receptor in the brain called P2X7. It suggests how we could both reduce epilepsy risk and predict which patients are most at risk of developing PTE by targeting this receptor. PTE is a common outcome of traumatic brain injury, characterised by recurring seizures that profoundly impact quality of life. At the moment, up to 30% of PTE patients do not respond to existing medications, and no treatments are available to predict or prevent the development of epilepsy following traumatic brain injury.

The collaborative research, led by FutureNeuro and RCSI, identifies the P2X7 receptor as a key driver of abnormal brain activity after brain injury. In preclinical models, blocking this receptor shortly after injury significantly reduced brain hyperexcitability, minimised brain damage, and improved behaviour, underscoring its promise as a therapeutic target for preventing epilepsy.

Professor Tracy Robson receives prestigious award

Professor Tracy Robson, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at RCSI, has been awarded the Irish Association for Cancer Research (IACR) Outstanding Contribution to Cancer Medicine Research Award at the IACR Annual Conference 2025.

Professor Robson has 25 years’ research experience in harnessing the biology of a novel protein called FKBPL for therapeutic gain in the cancer space. She developed IP on FKBPL with anti-angiogenic activity (which means it blocks the formation of tumour blood vessels that would otherwise allow cancer to continue to grow) which was subsequently licensed to Almac Discovery UK.

She proceeded to co-develop a therapeutic peptide drug with Almac which led to a Phase Ia, first in man, clinical trial in cancer patients with end stage, drug resistant disease. The therapeutic (ALM201) gained FDA Orphan Drug status for ovarian cancer. Professor Robson has seven patents filed/granted, four of which are licensed to pharma. This work is supported by a sustained track record of high quality publications in leading journals.

Commenting on her award, Professor Robson said: “I am incredibly honoured to accept this prestigious award from my peers at the Irish Association for Cancer Research. I am proud to have contributed to the understanding of cancer throughout my career and I look forward to the advances we can make in the years to come.”

Prof. Annie Curtis, Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI.

Dr Tobias Engel, FutureNeuro Investigator and Senior Lecturer, Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI.

Prof. Tracy Robson, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, RCSI.

Adolescent Cannabis Use: Parental Attitudes

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance among adolescents, with usage typically starting between the ages of 12 and 17. A new study led by Professor Mary Cannon at RCSI identifies the key risk and protective factors influencing cannabis use among young people. Professor Cannon, alongside co-investigator and PhD scholar Ronan Fleury, and coauthor Dr Teresa O’Dowd from the Health Service Executive (HSE) explored a range of factors impacting levels of cannabis usage among this group, including peer behaviour, parental attitudes, levels of parental supervision, perception towards cannabis and other drug use among 4,404 adolescents aged 15-16 from both rural and urban areas.

The research found that parental attitudes towards cannabis have a strong impact on a child’s likelihood to use cannabis. Adolescents who were under less supervision by their parents and guardians were significantly more likely to use the drug.

Young people whose parents expressed firm opposition towards cannabis were less likely to use the drug. Among non-cannabis users, 95.4% of respondents defined their parents’ views on cannabis as being ‘totally against’ compared to 65.6% of the parents of young people who had used cannabis.

“Parental supervision can act as a protective factor,” explained Professor Cannon, Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Youth Mental Health at RCSI. “Parents have an important role to play in reducing cannabis use in their adolescent children through their own attitudes and behaviour.”

The WiseFood EU project

The School of Population Health at RCSI has launched WiseFood, funded by the EU Horizon Europe programme, which integrates AI-driven tools and real-world feedback to promote better dietary habits while reducing environmental impact.

Led by Dr Claire Timon and Dr Angela Flynn, this threeyear project aims to democratise access to reliable, science-backed information on healthy and eco-conscious eating. The project will develop three user-centric applications:

1. FoodScholar: A platform that curates and presents trustworthy, easy-to-access information on nutrition, sustainability, and health from academic and official sources.

2. RecipeWrangler: A tool that evaluates and improves recipes, balancing nutritional value with environmental impact.

3. FoodChat: A recommendation system that offers personalised meal suggestions, encouraging long-term shifts towards healthier and eco-friendlier diets.

Solutions will be tested in real-world settings through Living Labs in Ireland, Hungary, and Slovenia, involving over 300 households. Findings from Living Labs will be compiled into a Mirroring Guideline document to facilitate implementation. This research is supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, in collaboration with partners from Greece, Belgium, Ireland, Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia, and the Netherlands.

Role of T cells in blood clot risk for inflammatory bowel disease

Researchers at RCSI have uncovered a novel mechanism linking inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with an increased risk of a serious blood clotting disorder, venous thromboembolism. The study identifies a specific subset of immune cells that may contribute to excessive blood clotting in IBD patients, revealing potential therapeutic targets for reducing this risk. IBD, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affects millions worldwide and is associated with systemic inflammation. Patients with IBD face a significantly higher risk of developing blood clotting complications, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, but the underlying causes have remained unclear. The research team, led by Dr Gemma Leon, Senior Postdoctoral Researcher and Professor Roger Preston, Associate Professor, RCSI School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, discovered that activated immune cells called CD4+ T cells, critical in IBD-associated inflammation, express tissue factor, a key initiator of blood clotting. These tissue factor-expressing cells were found in both the intestine and bloodstream of IBD patients, suggesting they may contribute to an increased risk of clot formation. The study also pointed to a possible solution. The team found that activated protein C (APC), an anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant protein in the blood, can help counteract the clotting activity of these T cells. When attached to the T cells, APC reduces their ability to trigger clot formation, offering a potential new treatment approach. ■

Prof. Roger Preston, Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI.

Licensed to Drill

From September, successful CAO applicants to RC007 will make up the first student cohort of the new RCSI School of Dentistry. For recently appointed Head of School Professor Albert Leung, this is an opportunity to address the country’s shortage of dentists and to deliver an innovative primary care community programme

Of the 27 countries in the EU, Ireland currently has the second lowest number of dentists per head of population. Many people in Ireland have difficulty in accessing dental services, with the situation in relation to children particularly challenging.

Against this backdrop, the new Bachelor Degree in Dentistry programme at RCSI, supported by the Irish government, accredited by the National University of Ireland and endorsed by the Dental Council in Ireland, will welcome its first intake of students in September 2025.

For its Head of School, Professor Albert Leung, this will be a proud day. “RCSI has a long history of providing education in dentistry,” explains Professor Leung. “In fact, RCSI’s original School of Dentistry, established in 1878, was the second oldest dental school in Europe – the oldest was RCS England founded in 1860 – and RCSI delivered an undergraduate dentistry programme for 99 years until it closed in 1977.”

That closure came about because of a rationalisation of the three dental programmes then in existence in Dublin. Trinity, UCD and RCSI merged

The new Dental Education Centre, Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, currently under construction.

their programmes in 1977 into one at the School of Dentistry in Trinity. At RCSI, only the Faculty of Dentistry, for postgraduate dentistry, established in 1963, continued.

Fast forward a few decades and the shortage of dentists in Ireland has become a serious issue.

“For some time,” says Professor Leung, “RCSI had been thinking that it should establish an undergraduate dental school again, so that the University could contribute to overcoming the shortage of dentists. In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government began to indicate that it wished to have more dentists trained in Ireland. And even though there had been no announcements on capacity or funding, RCSI made a strategic decision to start preparing for this potential scenario and to be as ready as possible if the opportunity for a new dental school were to arise.

“In November 2022 the Government communicated – quite unexpectedly – through the Higher Education Authority, a competition asking institutes of higher education in Ireland to bid for increasing capacity in a number of healthcare disciplines including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, physician associates, nursing and veterinary medicine.”

RCSI took part in that competition and emerged a winner in June 2023, when it was announced that RCSI would receive government support in starting a new dental programme. The University set about securing the approval of the Dental Council and NUI for its curriculum, which is in accordance with the National Oral Health Policy, and recruiting a skeleton staff.

“After a lot of very hard work,” says Professor Leung, “the Dental Council endorsed our programme to commence, and government funding was officially announced in October 2024. We will welcome our first students in September. We promised the Government that we would be able to start in 2025, and are very proud that of all the programmes approved by the Government, ours is the only one to launch on time.”

The new School of Dentistry will be the eighth health sciences school in RCSI and will offer a primary care community-based curriculum, because that is the area in which Ireland is most lacking in dentists. Currently, the two existing schools of dentistry at Trinity and UCC graduate about 55 EU students as dentists per year, which is insufficient to meet the needs of the population of 5.25 million, a figure that is rising rapidly. Another issue is that three-quarters of dentists coming onto the dental register in 2023 qualified outside Ireland, which Professor Leung says is not a sustainable situation.

“We are using a community-based curriculum,” explains Professor Leung. “Rather than have a centre of excellence dental hospital in Dublin’s city centre, we will have a number of dental education centres close to where patients live, and adjacent to where they receive primary or secondary healthcare. If dentists are set up there, patients are more likely to benefit from dental services. The Government’s community dental services scheme, and the HSE scheme for children, are completely behind schedule. We are addressing this by putting the capacity for treatment close to where the patients are. It’s very good for

the student to learn in this environment as well because up to 95% of dentists operate in primary care practices. There’s no better way of training them.”

The curriculum is in line with the National Oral Health Policy because it is training dentists to be primary care practitioners, meeting both the current need and Government perceptions of what that need will be in the future.

“We train them to be team leaders and to be able to manage competently most of the dental conditions that a dentist will see in practice,” explains Professor Leung. “Our aim is to benefit society as well as educate our students, addressing the challenges faced by the current dental education system.”

The new School of Dentistry will be the eighth health sciences school in RCSI and will offer a primary care communitybased curriculum.

The first dental education centre is in Sandyford, south county Dublin, located close to the Stillorgan Luas stop. This is an extensive facility with 55 clinical skills simulation units, 12 clinical surgeries, bespoke teaching facilities for students, and a dental laboratory. The centre is on time and on budget. Students will spend most of their first two years here, and also attend RCSI St Stephen’s Green campus for some subjects such as basic sciences for dentistry, and interprofessional education.

In year three, students will move to a brand new RCSI Dental Education Centre at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, which is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2027. This centre will have more than 40 dental chairs plus teaching facilities, and is located next door to the new RCSI Education and Research Centre.

The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) is a five-year degree programme in line with the European Union directives on dentistry training. Unlike other dental programmes, dental students at RCSI start clinical skills training in week two of their first year.

Prof. Albert Leung, Head of RCSI School of Dentistry.

“We are giving them the maximum amount of time to hone their clinical skills,” says Professor Leung. “It’s very intensive because we start training them in what the dentist does right from the beginning. By increasing their clinical exposure and experience, we increase the amount of time they have to perfect their skills and acumen to achieve the highest possible standard of patient care.

“The students will learn basic sciences as applied to dentistry from day one. For instance, anatomy is a very important part of dental students’ initial learning in basic sciences. In our learning environment, when students learn any muscles or bones in the head or neck, they will straight away be related to clinical practice in dentistry. So whenever they learn about the function of the body, it will be related to how the dentist applies this knowledge to clinical practice. We are also very proud of the fact that they will be learning part of their anatomy programme side-byside with RCSI medical students.”

The faculty for the new school has been drawn both from within RCSI and outside. Given the shortage of dentists in Ireland, recruiting has been measured, strategic and bespoke. Professor Leung explains that, as Head of School, and prior to that Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry RCSI and Chair Professor and Head of Restorative Dental Practice at University College London (UCL), Eastman Dental Institute, he has taken a systematic approach to faculty recruitment.

over 40 years’ experience in clinical practice, is Professor of Oral Surgery and Dental Anatomy.

Professor Osama Omer, former Head of Restorative Dentistry at Trinity College Dublin, well known for his expertise in rehabilitating head and neck cancer patients, is Head of Restorative Dentistry and Clinical Director.

Dr Isabel Olegário, an award-winning teacher, researcher and scientist, is Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Dentistry in Primary Care Dentistry, and Dr Niamh Coffey, who also has an extensive research profile, is Senior Lecturer in Restorative and Primary Care Dentistry and will also head the Clinical Skills Programme.

The Bachelor’s in Dental Surgery (BDS) is a five-year degree programme in line with the European Union directives on dentistry training.

Professor Leung comes to his role as Head of School almost 40 years after he qualified as a dentist from the University of Dundee. Born and brought up in Hong Kong, he attended an Irish Jesuit School for seven years and was taught by Father Joseph Mallin, the youngest son of Irish Republican Michael Mallin, then second in command of the Irish Citizen Army under James Connolly. Commander Mallin played an active role in the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, directing the St Stephen’s Green garrison when it occupied the RCSI building until he was caught and executed by the British. Father Mallin was two when his father was executed, and he became a Jesuit priest who spent almost 70 years in Hong Kong.

“It is such a small world,” says Professor Leung, “and I felt history coming full circle at St Stephen’s Green after more than a century.”

Professor Peter Cowan, an Adjunct Professor of Oral Surgery at NYU, specialist oral surgeon, a former Dean and CEO of the Faculty of Dentistry RCSI, with

The young Albert Leung hoped to make a career as a classical pianist, but his parents sensibly persuaded him to pursue a more stable career and encouraged him to take up the place at Dundee Dental School when it was

Prof. Osama Omer.

Prof. Peter Cowan.

Dr Niamh Coffey.

“It was in 2020 before the COVID-19 lockdown that RCSI Vice Chancellor Professor Cathal Kelly was thinking seriously of starting a new dental school and asked whether I would be interested in helping in the background,” recalls Professor Leung. “I remember him saying to me, ‘You have a tenured Professorship at UCL, so please do not give up your day job because we probably will not have a job here for you, the odds are heavily stacked against us starting a new school!’ But we managed to turn that around. In 2023 I became the Vice Chancellor’s strategic advisor in dentistry before the School was established. I retired from UCL in January 2024 and took up the position here some months later.”

Having visited Dublin regularly for many years, Professor Leung is now living in Dublin full-time. He says the welcome from his colleagues has been extremely warm and generous, and he finds Irish people very friendly and good at telling jokes.

“I’m really enjoying myself,” he says, “and while it’s a huge challenge for me I’m really looking forward to the first intake of students in September. Not many of my colleagues will ever have the chance to start a brand new dental school and I shall treasure this unique experience.

Dr Isabel Olegário.

offered. He stills plays the piano to relax and “to keep the different parts of the brain active”.

After qualifying in dentistry in 1985, he was in dental practice for a few years before embarking on postgraduate education in dentistry and also a part-time postgraduate law degree. He took up a position as lecturer at King’s College London, where he progressed through the ranks to Deputy Director, spending 15 years teaching primary care dentistry and in pedagogic research. In 2013, he moved to the prestigious UCL, Eastman Dental Institute, where he was Principal Clinical Teaching Fellow, Deputy Programme Director, then Deputy Head of Department, Head of Department, Head of Continuing Professional Development and Programme Director of Restorative Dental Practice. He was awarded his Chair in 2017 and became Professor of Dental Education. During his tenure at UCL, he supervised over 100 masters dissertations with only two unsuccessful ones.

“Quite a good strike rate,” he says modestly.

“We are very lucky in that we have a curriculum partnership with the Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth, the number one ranked UK dental school in 2024 and 2025, because they also offer a primary care communitybased curriculum. We have collaborated closely with Peninsula and they have been brilliant partners in helping us to set up. Peninsula was the last major dental school established in the UK, in 2008, and they have shared with us the issues they encountered at the outset and we are extremely grateful.

“I think the school is very exciting. This is the first new school of dentistry in Ireland since 1913. Everybody in RCSI is extremely supportive. The pressure is on me to deliver now. We hope the school breaks new ground in delivering dental healthcare to the people who really need it.

"This is the first new school of dentistry in Ireland since 1913. We hope the school breaks new ground in delivering dental healthcare to the people who really need it."

Professor Leung was a recipient of the 2017 Association of Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) Excellence in Dental Education Mature Career Educator award. His main areas of research are in dental education and restorative dentistry. Throughout his academic career, Professor Leung has been involved with RCSI’s Faculty of Dentistry initially through gaining RCSI postgraduate qualifications by examination in the mid 1990s. He chaired the MGDS and the MFD exams committees and was elected to the Faculty Board for many years. He later became Vice Dean, serving as Dean from 2020 to 2023.

For RCSI, this is hopefully filling the missing piece, as most major universities delivering healthcare education train both undergraduate doctors and dentists and RCSI should be no exception. We will be graduating dentists fit for practice wherever they are required as soon as they qualify. Although we are separate, we want to work very closely with our colleagues at the Faculty of Dentistry, so that we can offer students who come to RCSI a seamless education in dentistry from the day that they start, to the day they commence practice, to when they undertake postgraduate and continuing dental education throughout their practising life. That is an RCSI lifelong approach to continuing education which will produce the best dentists for Ireland for generations to come.

“There are lots of challenges of course, but they are very nice challenges to have. At the end of the day, I hope that we’ll be successful in delivering what we have been trying so hard to achieve, for the betterment of the oral healthcare of the nation.” ■

PAYING IT FORWARD

RCSI Medical University of Bahrain’s Alumni Ambassador programme provides positive experiences for students and alumni alike

A GLOBAL NETWORK OF SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Last year, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain celebrated 20 years since it opened its doors to a cohort of 28 medical students. Fast-forward through two decades, and the University now educates more than 1,300 students annually across undergraduate Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, and Postgraduate Studies and Research. The student body boasts more than 45 nationalities, and there are now 3,300 alumni working in 38 countries worldwide.

To capitalise on this global network of skills and expertise, last year the Alumni Ambassador programme was launched as a pilot initiative, to foster connections between the University and its alumni. Focusing on the top five destination countries for graduates – Bahrain, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Kuwait, and Canada, an alumnus or alumna was appointed in each location to act as a central point of contact, to share information and to support activities within their locality, as a way of establishing a network of engagement with alumni locally and internationally. Additional goals of the programme include fostering relationships with hospitals and practitioners, both locally and overseas, and encouraging a stronger culture of knowledge transfer between alumni and current students.

Participating alumni stand to gain from the programme also, by developing and enhancing their leadership skills in alignment with the strategic pillars of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain – Learning and Teaching (advising services, train the trainer, knowledge transfer), Research (promote research opportunities, conduct research for the University) and Community Engagement and Service (volunteer work, expanding the network through relationship building). There have also been plenty of opportunities for alumni to build their own professional connections and networks.

At the time of going to press, the second cycle of the programme is well underway, and the wealth of projects and initiatives are a testament to the commitment and enthusiasm of the Alumni Ambassadors themselves, from the creation of helpful resources and toolkits for students, to online and in-person presentations and workshops on a variety of practical topics.

SHARING THE KNOWLEDGE

As Senior Alumni Ambassador for Bahrain (Nursing), MS HAWRA SAEED (Nursing, Class of 2020) led a project in collaboration with the Student and Engagement Partnership (StEP) Programme, to produce a guide for new nursing graduates to support their transition to full-time nurses. With the assistance of MS NARJES ASHKANANI (Nursing, Class of 2016), MS TALA EL-ZEIN (Nursing, Class of 2023), MS FATEMA QAHER, MS SARA MOHAMED and MS SHAIKHA ALI (all Nursing, Class of 2024). Launched in June 2024, Kickstart your Nursing Career includes information on applying for the NHRA Licensure Examination, CV preparation tips and support with job interviews, and continues to be distributed to new graduates.

Bahrain Alumni Ambassador for Nursing Ms Hawra Saeed and colleagues with the Kickstart Your Nursing Career booklet.

Canada Alumni Ambassador Dr Tharmegan Tharmaratnam with students at an in-person talk on the Canadian match process.

Dr Batool Almoallem delivered a talk on paediatrics as part of Medical Specialty Talks series, organised by Bahrain Alumni Ambassador for Medicine, Dr Zainab Toorani.

Dr Mahmood Ali also contributed to the Medical Specialty Talks series, with a presentation on dermatology.

Kuwait Alumni Ambassadors Dr Nazha AlFaraj and Dr Adnan Ahmad worked with Dr Mohammad Alansari on the Pathway to Kuwait video – scan the QR code to view.

For students of medicine interested in practising in Kuwait, Senior Alumni Ambassador (Kuwait) DR NAZHA ALFARAJ (Medicine, Class of 2022) worked on several career guidance resources which outline the pathway to Kuwait for internship, residency and research opportunities for Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti nationals. She also worked with Junior Alumni Ambassador (Kuwait) DR ADNAN AHMAD (Medicine, Class of 2021) and DR MOHAMMAD ALANSARI (Medicine, Class of 2022) to create a video to explain the pathway to Kuwait with a focus on internship and residency, which was launched in March 2024.

Alumni Ambassadors for Bahrain (Medicine), DR TAIBAH AL-ADRAJ (Medicine, Class of 2022) and DR ZAINAB TOORANI (Medicine, Class of 2016) are currently working on a guide to support medicine graduates, with practical advice on internship applications, writing admission and progress notes, NHRA Licensure Examination, CV preparation and residency options in Bahrain.

LENDING A HAND AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS

Alumni have been particularly generous with their time and expertise when it comes to meeting with students and passing on their knowledge in-person and online. DR TOORANI (Medicine, Class of 2016) organised a series of talks and workshops on career pathways in pathology, paediatrics, dermatology and family medicine, delivered by DR ZAINAB HARB (Medicine, Class of 2010), DR BATOOL ALMOALLEM (Medicine, Class of 2016), DR MAHMOOD ALI (Medicine, Class of 2014), and DR YUSRA ALMATROOK, (Medicine, Class of 2016). DR TOORANI also facilitated a research initiative and secured more than 60 research opportunities with the support of alumni based in Bahrain.

Students of nursing have also been catered for, with a series of specialty talks organised by Junior Alumni Ambassador Bahrain (Nursing), MR HUSAIN ALASFOOR (Nursing, Class of 2021), who gave a presentation on occupational health with a focus on oil and gas. MS FATEMA MAKAHLA (Nursing, Class of 2015) discussed the pathway from emergency to oncology and palliative care, while MR FAHAD ALTAILASAN (Nursing, Class of 2017) delivered a final session on the journey through critical care, quality, and nursing leadership. On campus, MR ALASFOOR and MS SAEED organised an interactive ‘Ambulance Tour’ for students and staff with Bahrain Specialist Hospital, as part of a trauma workshop delivered by MR ALASFOOR alongside DR EMAN FATEEL (Postgraduate Studies, Class of 2013), MS ASMA ALNAJJAR (Nursing, Class of 2010), MS SALWA ABDULMALEK (Nursing, Class of 2018) and MR ISMAEEL ALAWADHI (Nursing, Class of 2021).

For students and alumni with an interest in practicing in the UK, UK Senior Alumni Ambassador DR ALI ABDULNABI (Medicine, Class of 2013) devised a talk series on different specialties with contributions from UK Junior Alumni Ambassador DR ZAINAB FADHUL (Medicine, Class of 2021) on the topic of general practice, DR HASAN ALTAHOO (Medicine, Class of 2018) on orthopaedic surgery, and DR MANAR HUSAIN (Medicine, Class of 2021) on obstetrics and gynaecology. DR FADHUL also made herself available to students via ‘Ask an Alumna’ one-to-one appointments, whereby students could ask questions and gain further insights about the UK pathway. More recently, DR FATEMA ALI (Medicine, Class of 2019) led an interactive session on emergency response in the UK, with a focus on acute medicine, while DR MOHAMED HUSSAIN (Medicine, Class of 2021) spoke to students about his experience and pathway into psychiatry training in the UK.

North America is a popular destination for graduates, and with Ambassadors based in both the USA and Canada students have been lucky to receive support and practical advice for both pathways. For students who were applying for residencies, USA Senior Alumni Ambassador DR BASSAM ALHAMER (Medicine, Class of 2020) ran an online session on completing a Rank Order List for ERAS, as well as a Q&A series on the US pathway, with contributions from USA Junior Alumni Ambassador DR MOEEN ABOABDO (Medicine, Class of 2019). The inaugural Alumni Ambassador for Canada, DR THARMEGAN THARMARATNAM (Medicine, Class of 2021) launched ‘Canada Coffee Chats’, an online information series on the Canadian match process. Two online sessions on the match process and research requirements were followed by inperson talks, when Dr Tharmaratnam and his colleague DR PARDEEP SIDHU (Medicine, Class of 2021) visited the Bahrain campus to take part in a week long workshop on the North American pathway. Both alumni also provided one-to-one application support and CV review for students during their time on campus. Students and alumni have also been able to avail of mock interviews, support and guidance thanks to the input of current Canada Alumni Ambassador DR FARES AL-FARES (Medicine, Class of 2013).

BUILDING A GLOBAL COMMUNITY THROUGH LOCAL CONNECTIONS

The programme has also provided opportunities for alumni to connect and network through several social gatherings, organised by the Ambassadors themselves. In Bahrain, nursing alumni were invited to a ‘Mugs and Memories’ gathering, organised by MS SAEED and MR ALASFOOR, while in the UK DR ABDULNABI and DR FADHUL have organised get-togethers for alumni in London and Birmingham. Most recently, alumni in Manchester were invited to an iftar in celebration of the holy month of Ramadan, which also coincided with the launch of an Alumni Book Club, for graduates based in the UK. The Club is led by DR MARYAM ALFARDAN (Medicine, Class of 2024) and DR MOHAMED TOORANI (Medicine, Class of 2018). ■

Dr Zainab Toorani Dr Taibah Al-Adraj Mr Husain Alasfoor Ms Hawra Saeed

Dr Ali Abdulnabi Dr Zainab Fadhul Dr Bassam Alhamer Dr Moeen Aboabdo

Dr Nazha AlFaraj Dr Adnan Ahmad Dr Fares Al-Fares Dr Moshira Mahran

Dr Tharmegan Tharmaratnam

CELEBRATING OCCASIONS AT RCSI

ALUMNI AWARDS ART COMMISSION

In October 2024, an exciting new artwork by artist Joe Caslin was unveiled on the RCSI campus to celebrate the recipients of the 2024 Alumni Awards. Entitled ‘AlumniConnecting and Inspiring’, the large-scale mural measures more than 45 square metres and is prominently displayed on the wall overlooking the foyer of 123 St Stephen’s Green. The black and white artwork captures portraits of the seven Awardees, interwoven with geometric shapes and interconnecting circles, and highlighted with gold leaf.

The concept was selected from a number of submissions received in response to a brief issued by the RCSI Art Committee. Joe Caslin is a street artist, illustrator, teacher and activist, best known for his beautifully rendered pencil drawings, which manifest as towering pieces of street art. For this commission Joe aimed to create a mural that serves as a medium for storytelling, starting with photographs and biographies of the Awardees as his primary inspiration, overlaid with decorative elements borne out of his own interest in stained glass window design. The captivating artwork is immediately visible to all those who enter the building and has become a talking point around campus.

ALUMNI CONNECTING AND INSPIRING

Joe Caslin Alumni Awards concept drawing.

Alumni Connecting and Inspiring.

Humanitarian and Community Awardee Ciarán Lanigan, (Nursing and Midwifery, Class of 2013) and family.

Outstanding Clinician Awardee, Majella O’Reilly (Physiotherapy, Class of 2006).

Inspiring Educator Awardee, Dr Michelle Flood (Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Class of 2006).

Vice Chancellor’s Outstanding Achievement Awardee, Prof. Kieran Murphy (Medicine, Class of 1986).

Positive Global Impact Awardee, Dr Caroline Bee Leng Low (Medicine, Class of 1991).

Research and Innovation Awardee, Dr Dearbhaile Collins (Postgraduate Studies, Class of 2009).

RCSI Ambassador Awardee, Dr Ibtesam Al Bastaki (GSM, Class of 2009).

Dr Dearbhaile Collins, Prof. Kieran Murphy, Dr Michelle Flood, Majella O’Reilly, Dr Caroline Bee Leng Low, and Dr Ibtesam Al-Bastaki.

ALUMNI GATHERING

In August 2024, RCSI welcomed more than 630 alumni and guests from all over the world for the 2024 Alumni Gathering at St Stephen’s Green – breaking all previous attendance records for the annual reunion event!

Dr Line Hagen, Dr Stine Hoevding Titland and Dr Tonje Bohlin (Class of 2004).

Dr Charlotte Alme, Dr Lynda Tilluckdharry, Dr Edel Harney (Class of 2004).

Dr Maria Fulford, Dr Ingrid Syslak and Dr Tori Aaker (Class of 2009).

Dr Ashwin Gojanur (Class of 2014) with Bhargavi Gojanur and daughter Aariya.

Dr Bernadette Antonyrajah and Dr Leila Hebshi (Class of 2004) with Dr Avind Rampersad (Class of 2003).

Distinguished Graduate Awardee Prof. Michael Farrell (Class of 1979) with Dr Erika Keane, President of the Association of Medical and Dental Graduates, RCSI.

Dr Adrian Moughty and Dr Bree Kennedy (Class of 1999).

Dr Ciaran Goojha and Dr Niamh Tallon (Class of 2004) with their children Zachary and Amelia.

The Class of 1974: Back row, from left to right: Dr Himmet Dajee, Dr Bjørn Heggelund, Dr Helge Haugland, Dr Pierce Molony, Dr John Malone, Dr Arne Hesselberg, Dr James Michael O’Connell. Front row, from left to right: Mr Parnell Keeling, Dr Erika Keane, President of the Association of Medical and Dental Graduates, RCSI, Prof. Deborah McNamara, President, RCSI and Dr Arvind Joshi.

Dr Nancy Manahan and Dr Sujata Prasad (Class of 1984).

Ms Patricia Kinane, Dr Peter Maguire (Class of 1993) and Ms Síle Nathan.

Prof. Moira O’Brien (Class of 1956) and Prof. Deborah McNamara, President, RCSI.

Prof. Mary Harty (Class of 1972) and Prof. James Harty (Class of 1969).

The Class of 1964: From left to right: Prof. Deborah McNamara, President, RCSI, Dr Edward Tierney, Dr Cora Stinton, Dr Charles O’Malley and Dr Erika Keane, President of the Association of Medical and Dental Graduates, RCSI.

Members of the Class of 1989.

RCSI student volunteers

Julia Matwiejczuk, Suaad

Dr Ulf Myhre, Dr Bill Rainer, Dr Barbro Normann and Dr Edvin Bach-Gansmo, Class of 1984. Alshleh and Amir Bachari

Dr Eoin McCarthy, Dr Liam Purtill and Dr David Crooks (Class of 1989).

Dr Liam Mulcahy (Class of 2020) with Dr Gabriel McKeon (Class of 1969) and Dr John McKeon FRCSI.

Dr Helge Haugland, Dr Arne Hesselberg, Mr Parnell Keeling, Dr Bjørn Heggelund and Dr Himmit Dajee (Class of 1974).

ALUMNI AWARDS CEREMONY

In October 2024, RCSI acknowledged the seven recipients of the 2024 Alumni Awards at a special ceremony in the College Hall, attended by RCSI faculty, staff and representatives from FRS Recruitment, sponsors of the RCSI Alumni Awards. Awardees were presented with a unique print of their portrait by artist Joe Caslin, who also created the spectacular mural that celebrates each of the Awardees as inspirational role models.

ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL AND DENTAL GRADUATES ANNUAL DINNER

In November 2024, RCSI’s College Hall and Board Room played host to the Annual Dinner of the Association of Medical and Dental Graduates, a lovely opportunity for friends, classmates, and colleagues to gather for a festive reception and dinner in the College.

Prof. Judith Strawbridge and Counsellor Intan Nadia Ramli.

Alumni Award Ceremony RCSI College Hall.

Darragh O’Brien, Lynne McCormack, Emma Fenton of FRS Recruitment with Prof. Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI.

Dr Colm Foster, Dr Ibtesam Al Bastaki, Lynne McCormack.

Dr Jan Sinkiewicz, Anya Murphy and Dr Carol Brady.

Prof. Tom O’Connor, Ciarán Lanigan, Prof. Zena Moore.

Prof. Cathal Kelly, Prof. Kieran Murphy, Lynne McCormack.

Prof. Darran O’Connor, Dr Dearbhaile Collins, Lynne McCormack.

Prof. Louise Keating, Majella O’Reilly, Prof. Suzanne McDonough.

Prof. Judith Strawbridge, Dr Michelle Flood, Lynne McCormack.

Prof. Suzanne McDonough, Majella O’Reilly, Lynne McCormack.

Assembled guests gather on the staircase of 123 St Stephen’s Green.

Dr Joanne Balfe, Dr Sarah Keane, Dr Maeve Hogan, Dr Bairbre Wynne and Dr Dominique Brindley (all Medicine, Class of 1997).

Waheebah Ahmed and Avinash Nazareth, RCSI SU Officers.

Caroline O’Grady, Brian Whitaker, Mr Patrick Sheehan (Medicine, Class of 1987), Dr Erika Keane (Medicine, Class of 1987), President of the Association of Medical and Dental Graduates, RCSI.

Hilary Sheridan and Dr Harry Beauchamp (Medicine, Class of 1985).

Dr Erika Keane, Dr Caroline Bee Leng Low, Lynne McCormack.

LONDON ALUMNI, FELLOWS AND MEMBERS RECEPTION

In February 2025, almost 80 RCSI Alumni, Fellows and Members attended a reception hosted by Professor Cathal Kelly, RCSI Vice Chancellor, at the Royal Society of Medicine in London.

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF RCSI MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF BAHRAIN

Late last year RCSI Alumni, Fellows and Members joined Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI and RCSI faculty and staff at a reception to mark the 20th anniversary celebrations of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain.

RCSI Alumni, Fellows and Members celebrate 20 years of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain with RCSI faculty and staff.

Ms Aíne Gibbons, Dr Zainab Fadhul (RCSI Bahrain, Medicine, Class of 2021), Ms Loreen Bahour and Dr Nawal Herzallah (Medicine, Class of 2017).

Prof. Kevin O’Malley, Ms Aíne Gibbons, Mr Fadi Ghosn and Prof. James Finnucane.

Dr Angela Spikker and Dr John Doherty (both Class of 1971).

Dr Bisola Laguda and Dr Tina Buckley (both Class of 1994).

Prof. Cathal Kelly and Dr Aayushi Rai (Class of 2016).

Dr Roohi Alvi (Class of 1995) and Dr Bisola Laguda (Class of 1994).

Prof. Nadey Hakim FRCSI, Mrs Carmel Vaithilingam, Dr Karthikesan Vaithilingam (Class of 1982) and guest.

Members of the Classes of 1970 and 1971.

Dr Burhanudin Busu (Class of 1993) and Dr Zafrullah Hamza (Class of 1994).

Dr Logeswaran Selvarajah (Class of 2014), Prof. Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor, RCSI and Dr Mohammad Al-Agil (RCSI Bahrain, Medicine, Class of 2012).

UPDATES FROM BAHRAIN

AMBULANCE TOUR ON CAMPUS

In April 2024 and again in April 2025, Bahrain Nursing Alumni Ambassador, Ms Hawra Saeed (Nursing, Class of 2020) arranged an ‘Ambulance Tour’ with Bahrain Specialist Hospitals, whereby students of medicine and nursing could familiarise themselves with ambulance equipment, emergency procedures and understand the importance of working with a multidisciplinary team.

NEW YORK ALUMNI RECEPTION

In May 2024, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain Careers and Alumni Office hosted a reception for alumni in New York. Speakers included USA Alumni Ambassador, Dr Bassam Alhamer (Medicine, Class of 2020), Dr Graham McMahon (RCSI Dublin, Medicine, Class of 1997), and Mr Stephen Harrison-Mirfield, Managing Director, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain.

ALUMNI RECEPTION AT EMBASSY OF BAHRAIN, LONDON

In November 2024, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain organised an alumni reception at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain in London, hosted by His Excellency Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Kingdom.

ALUMNI GET-TOGETHER IN BIRMINGHAM

UK Alumni Ambassadors Dr Ali Abdulnabi (Medicine, Class of 2013) and Dr Zainab Fadhul (Medicine, Class of 2021) organised an alumni get-together in Birmingham in January 2025, which was also attended by Mr Stephen Harrison-Mirfield, Managing Director of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain.

FUTURE NURSES BAHRAIN

Ahead of the commencement of Future Nurses Bahrain school visits, Bahrain Nursing Alumni Ambassador, Ms Hawra Saeed (Nursing, Class of 2020) and Ms Salwa Abdulmalek (Nursing, Class of 2018) contributed to student briefing sessions on the campaign’s objectives, expectations, and history.

ALUMNI GHABGA 2025 AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF INSPIRING EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS

In March 2025, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain’s Careers and Alumni Office brought alumni together for a Ramadan Ghabga, and unveiled the winners of this year’s Inspiring Excellence Awards – congratulations to Dr Yahya Alwatari (Medicine, Class of 2015), Dr Rola Husain (Medicine, Class of 2011), and Ms Lolwa Almuqla (Nursing, Class of 2014).

CLASSMATES IN CONVERSATION

Classmates in Conversation returned for Season 2 in early 2025. Listen to or watch our three episodes featuring alumni from the Classes of 1984, 1989 and 1994 on Spotify and YouTube.

LUNCHTIME HISTORY TALKS

The Lunchtime Talk Series goes from strength to strength this year. You can watch all the talks, including the most recent lecture delivered by Mr Tim Horgan FRCSI on ‘The Eyes of Ireland’ on our YouTube channel.

New York Alumni Reception.

Ambulance Tour.

Alumni Reception at the Bahrain Embassy, London, with HE Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.

Alumni get-together in Birmingham.

Future Nurses Bahrain.

Alumni Ghabga 2025.

Dr Shaun Matthews, Dr Maria Gaard and Dr Nancy Manahan (Class of 1984).

Mr Tim Horgan FRCSI.

Alumni Impact in 2024 THANK YOU

RCSI alumni donated €560,000 to support student programmes

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NEW SCHOLARSHIPS made RCSI accessible to talented students enabling them to study medicine.

23

students received CLINICAL ELECTIVE GRANTS enabling them to travel for their placements worldwide to places like Dar es Salaam, New York and Panama.

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students experiencing emergency financial crises were assisted with grants through the STUDENT HARDSHIP FUND.

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alumni chose to LEAVE A GIFT TO RCSI IN THEIR WILL, ensuring that future students receive the support they need to thrive.

50 students are receiving scholarship support this year thanks to alumni.

More than 275 alumni volunteered as student mentors, reunion ambassadors, student placement providers and content creators for eNews, giving over 477 hours of their time. Thank you!

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